Hawk+Moths

=Hawk Moths=

__Taxonomy:__
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Sphingidae

__Habitat:__

 * Family Sphingidae, also known as hawk moths, sphinx moths, and hummingbird moths, are found worldwide in a variety of climates
 * These climates range from dry regions to tropical rainforest

__Description:__

 * Some of the largest moths in the world belong to Sphingidae
 * Many medium to large size moths, up to and beyond 5 inch wingspans
 * Can easily be mistaken for a hummingbird
 * Hawk moths are known to hover above the flower while feeding on its nectar
 * Specialized proboscis for getting to hard-to-reach nectar
 * Larval stage known as "hornworms" for their hooklike appendage on posterior end
 * Antennae are not feathery in most species
 * Some species have lost scales on portions of wing, giving a transparent appearance
 * (3. "Sphingidae")



__Biology:__

 * Undergo full metamorphosis
 * Very rapid wing movement for flight requires most species to shiver their flight muscles prior to takeoff to ready them for flight
 * Darwins prediction
 * Hawk moths are a prime example of specialization. The star orchids of Madagascar have nectar spurs that can reach over a foot long. Darwin predicted that there must be a moth that is able to reach the nectar and pollinate these orchids. Hawk moths were the answer. They have specially elongated proboscis that allow them to reach all the way down the nectar spur while hovering above these Madagascar orchids (Buchman, 2010).

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 * Protection against bats
 * Moths have always been targeted by bats. For that reason, moths have over time developed different defenses against these predators. Hawk moths have developed the ability to produce ultrasonic sounds in response to attack. The males rub together modified scraper scales against their last abdominal tergum, while females use a completely different mechanism. This anti-bat function most likely acts to startle the bat, confuse its echolocation, as a mimicry defense, or as some type of warning signal that would deter the bat from ingesting the moth (Barber and Kawahara 2013).

Created by Castro. S

Related and Useful links:
http://www.silkmoths.bizland.com/usatable.htm http://bugguide.net/node/view/193 http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy/Sphingidae http://eol.org/pages/396579/overview http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05517.html

References:
1. Barber, Jesse R., and Akito Y. Kawahara. 2013. “Hawkmoths Produce Anti-Bat Ultrasound.” //Biology Letters// 9 (4) (August 23). doi:10.1098/rsbl.2013.0161.

2. Buchman, Steve. "Hawk Moths or Sphinx Moths (Sphingidae)." //Celebrating Wildflowers //. US Forest Service, 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hawk_moths.shtml

3. "Sphingidae." //Butterflies and Moths of North America | Collecting and Sharing Data about Lepidoptera //. Butterflies and Moths of North America, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. .

Images:
Figure 1: Buchman, Steve. "Hawk Moths or Sphinx Moths (Sphingidae)." //Celebrating Wildflowers //. US Forest Service, 13 Oct. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/hawk_moths.shtml

Figure 2: "Butterflies and Moths of North America | Collecting and Sharing Data about Lepidoptera." //Butterflies and Moths of North America | Collecting and Sharing Data about Lepidoptera //. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2013. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Pachysphinx-modesta