thumb|300px|Distribution map: yellow, winter in the Northern Hemisphere; green, year round; blue, summer in the Northern Hemisphere

The hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) is a species of hawk moth found across temperate regions of Eurasia. The species is named for its similarity to hummingbirds, as they feed on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their long proboscis while hovering in the air; this resemblance is an example of convergent evolution.

The hummingbird hawk-moth was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. As of 2018, its mitogenome has been sequenced.

Distribution

The hummingbird hawk-moth is distributed throughout the northern Old World from Portugal to Japan, but it breeds mainly in warmer climates (southern Europe, North Africa, and points east). Three generations are produced in a year in Spain. There is evidence that the population in Britain and Ireland is actively expanding its range, as numbers have been consistently increasing. In addition, it is believed that this population is becoming resident instead of migratory, as warmer temperatures due to climate change are allowing individuals to overwinter.

It is a strong flier, dispersing widely in the summer. However it rarely survives the winter in northern latitudes (e.g. north of the Alps in Europe, north of the Caucasus in Russia).

Moths in the genus Hemaris, also of the family Sphingidae, are known as "hummingbird moths" in the US, and "bee moths" in Europe. This sometimes causes confusion between this species and the North American genus.

Life cycle

Two or more broods are produced each year. The adult may be encountered at any time of the year, especially in the south of the range, where there may be three or four broods. It overwinters as an adult in a crevice among rocks, trees, and buildings.

Ova

The glossy pale green ova (eggs) are spherical with a diameter. They are said to look like the flower buds of the host plant Galium, and that is where the female lays them. They hatch 6 to 8 days after laying. and its hovering behavior, accompanied by an audible humming noise, make it look remarkably like a hummingbird while feeding on flowers. Like hummingbirds, it feeds on flowers which have tube-shaped corollae. dawn, and even in the rain, which is unusual for even diurnal hawkmoths. M.  stellatarum engages in free hovering flight, which allows more maneuverability and control than fixed-wing flight, despite high energetic cost. Like many large insects, it relies upon Johnston's organs for body positioning information.

Vision

thumb|400px|Nectaring process on Buddleja (5 frames/second)

The hummingbird hawkmoth's visual abilities have been studied extensively, and they have demonstrated a relatively good ability to learn colours. They have a trichromatic visual system, and are most sensitive to wavelength in the range of 349–521 nm. They have been shown to discriminate a wavelength difference as small as 1–2 nm between sources. This discrimination is even more precise than Apis mellifera, or the western honey bee. Among other flower visitors, their visual system is similar to Papilio xuthus, or the Asian swallowtail butterfly, and Deilephila elpenor, the nocturnal elephant hawkmoth.

Their larvae usually feed on bedstraws or madders (Rubia) but have been recorded on other Rubiaceae and Centranthus, Stellaria, and Epilobium. Proboscis length is thought to have been evolutionarily impacted by the length of flowers' feeding tubes. These moths, along with other moths, are in the family Sphingidae because their larvae were thought to resemble the Egyptian Sphinx. The They Might Be Giants song "The Bee of the Bird of the Moth" is about the hummingbird moth.

References

Further reading

  • "69.010 BF1984 Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758)". UKMoths. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  • Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa
  • Lepiforum e. V.
  • Hummingbird Moth - Species info & Facts