Macroglossum stellatarum (1) Insect Nocturnal Butterfly Sphinx Hawk Moth Sphingidae

Description

Origin : Italy

Macroglossum stellatarum one wing lenght cm 1.7-2 Insect Nocturnal Butterfly Sphinx Hawk Moth Sphingidae.
Family: Sphingidae (sphinxes).
Common name: Sphinx of Galio.
Syn. Sphinx stellatarum.

It has crepuscular diurnal habits. It flies from August to September and it lands only to rest just after dusk, well hidden by vegetation. It has a big body squat and hairy, but the rapid flight of a hummingbird, so it is often referred to.
This Sphingidae not laying on the flowers, but them pass very quickly from one flower to another without ever settling: remains in hover over it for a few seconds (3 to about 10) fast beating wings at a frequency of about 200 times per second and holding out his long proboscis to suck the flowers for nectar.
Its flight is particular and very different from that of the other butterflies, its wings are indeed animated by a movement extremely fast, very similar to a vibration. This allows her to be stationed in a firm and precise on the flowers and to revel in the nectar remaining in flight, just like a hummingbird.