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Identity

Macroglossum stellatarum is a day-flying member of Sphingidae. Its common name refers to the hovering flight used while drinking nectar. [1]

Morphology and identification

The forewings and head are grey-brown, the hindwings orange, and the abdomen patterned in contrasting black and white. A long proboscis extends into flowers and curls when not in use. [1]

Distribution and habitat

In Britain the species arrives from southern Europe and North Africa and occurs in coastal areas, gardens and urban habitats. Some individuals successfully overwinter in sheltered sites in southwest England. British observations extend from spring to autumn, with occasional records outside that period. [1]

Feeding and host plants

Larval food plants recorded in Britain include lady’s bedstraw, hedge bedstraw and wild madder. Nectar sources include honeysuckle and red valerian. [1]

Behaviour

Adults feed by hovering in front of tubular flowers, then move rapidly between them. This nectar-feeding flight occurs by day and can continue in rain. [1]

Distinctive biology

Flight-tunnel experiments showed that wall patterns alter the moth’s speed and lateral position. With a patterned wall opposite a plain grey wall, moths shifted away from resolvable patterns and generally flew more slowly. The spatial-frequency limit of their centring response differed between one-wall and two-wall patterns. Individual flight paths varied strongly, but this response limit did not correlate with body size or eye diameter. [2]