[WATCH] Get to know the deaths-head hawkmoth in this nature’s article
There is also a fanciful association with this moth and evil and the supernatural.
USUALLY when Warren Dick features a moth or butterfly he includes its whole life cycle, not just the adult form. The deaths-head hawkmoth is an exception due to all the interesting and fascinating facts in this article.
Deaths-head hawkmoths can refer to three different species of hawkmoths. This article focuses on the African deaths-head hawkmoth.
Its life starts out as an egg laid on a potato, tomato, woody jasmine or common buckthorn. The larvae is stout, hairless and greenish brown with a prominent tail.
They grow up to 13cm in length before pupating.
Adult moths are large and powerful fliers with its wingspan measuring up to 15cm. The fore wings are mottled dark brown in colour and the hind wings are banded, yellow and dark brown.
The moths abdomen is also banded yellow and dark brown. They get their name from the light brown ‘skull’ like marking on their thorax.
Interesting facts:
These moths are often known to raid bee hives at night where they enjoy feeding on honey. The bees ignore them because the moth emits a pheromone which mimics the smell of a bee.
The skull like pattern on the moth’s thorax gives it a somewhat creepy appearance, making it feared by many.
There is also a fanciful association with this moth and evil and the supernatural.
To top off its creepy appearance, is the fact that it emits an audible squeal when it feels threatened, also exposing its brightly coloured abdomen. This mouse like squeal is made by inhaling and exhaling air which vibrates the epipharynx like an accordion.
This natural superstition has of course been taken advantage of by Hollywood and the like, who have featured this moth in many horror films, including The Silence of The Lambs.
As with most other superstitions and old wives tales, there is absolutely no valid reason to have a fear of these moths, they pose no danger to humans at all, nor are they a harbinger of death or other major catastrophe.
Contact Warren to have some of your interesting insects, snakes or spiders identified. Send him a Whatsapp message or call him on 072-211-0353. Follow the conversation on Facebook, Warren’s Small World.
Watch a video of the sound that the deaths-head hawkmoth makes when provoked.
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