Hippotion osiris
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Hippotion osiris |
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| ( Dalman , 1823) |
Hippotion osiris is a tropical butterfly ( moth ) fromthe swarm family (Sphingidae). The species found in sub-Saharan Africaoccasionallyflies in as a migrant butterfly in North Africa and southern Spain.
features
butterfly
The moths reach a wingspan of 66 to 76 millimeters (males) or 70 to 87 millimeters (females), with a forewing length of 36 to 42 millimeters. The moths have brown to greenish-brown forewings and an equally colored body. The animals look very similar to the great wine hawk ( Hippotion celerio ). However, they are somewhat larger, more strongly marked and they lack the black wing veins on the hind wings. On the anterior segments of the abdomen, H. osiris has two lateral black spots; these are separated by light gray hairs on the sides, which reach back halfway up the abdomen. The similar species lack these black spots. The transverse band on the forewings, which runs from the wing tip to the wing inner edge to the base, is lighter in H. osiris and runs straighter. The white horizontal stripes that extend to the leading edge of the wing are much stronger and form an indistinct white line from the wing tip to the wing base. The edge area is lightened ocher gray, the inner edge is white. The hind wings carry a divided median band, the inner part of which runs as a broad black smear almost parallel to the inner edge. The black submarginal band is relatively wide. Between the black areas is the pink middle field, the veins of which are only indicated very faintly in black. This also distinguishes the species from the Großer Weinschwärmer, whose veins are strong black there. The relatively wide, light ocher-yellow band at the hind wings is powdered with dark scales . The underside of the wing is gray-brown with brown transverse bands and a yellowish disk area. The females look very similar to the males, but differ from them in their shorter and finer antennae . The species, unlike the large wine hawk, is only slightly variable, only the body size and the dark and pink color of the hind wings vary.
egg
The eggs look very similar to those of the great wine lover, but are slightly larger.
Caterpillar
The caterpillars reach a body length of 80 to 90 millimeters and are therefore larger than those of Hippotion eson . They appear in a green and a brown color morph. The brown animals have a medium brown color from the back down to the stigmas , with fine, dark brown, oblique lines on the sides and a fine, black stripe on the back. The spaces between the segments are pale yellow and each segment has two small yellow dots. There are also fine subdorsal and dorsolateral lines that flow into a broad yellow lateral line in which the spiracles lie. On the first abdominal segment there is a large, black-rimmed, purple-brown eye spot that contains a white pupil and six to seven purple points. In some animals, there is another, small eye-spot on the second abdomen segment. On the segments further back there is a black spot on each segment in its place. The ventral side is pale brown, as is the head. In adult caterpillars, the anal horn is only one millimeter long. In young caterpillars it is relatively long and black in color. The head capsule is orange-red.
The much rarer, green color morph has similar dark, sloping side lines on the body, which are not brown but green.
Doll
The doll is 55 to 61 millimeters long. It is very similar in shape to that of the Great Wine Hawk and has a pale gray-brown color with black flecks. The boat-shaped proboscis is curved forward and flattened to the side.
Occurrence and habitat
The species is native to sub- Saharan Africa and Madagascar . As a migratory butterfly , however, it also flies into North Africa and southern Spain . Since the species is very similar to the great wine hawk, the frequency of the infiltration is poorly documented. The species has also been detected by flights from Israel.
Way of life
The adults are flower visitors and can be observed in parks and gardens or on walls and bushes that are overgrown with vines . The animals can only be found in vineyards if no insecticides are used. The moths are attracted by artificial light sources.
Flight and caterpillar times
The moths fly in southern Spain mainly between September and November. In Israel, however, individuals were also observed from June to September. In Africa, the species flies in two or more successive generations a year, depending on the climatic conditions.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly on grapevines ( Vitis ) and virgin vines ( Parthenocissus ). They are less common on richardsonia , carrots ( Daucus ), dock ( Rumex ), bird knotweed ( Polygonum ), jumping herbs ( Impatiens ), cissus , morning glory ( Ipomoea ), African tulip tree ( Spathodea ), fuchsias ( Fuchsia ) and various types of redwoods (Rubiaceae) ) found.
development
No caterpillars are known from southern Spain. If they are found there, it can be assumed that it is the brown form, as this is the dominant color morph in North Africa . Pupation takes place in a light brown, loosely spun cocoon on the ground. When disturbed, the caterpillars pull their heads back into the thoracic segments and imitate the appearance of a small snake through this thickened area and the eye spots. The species is parasitized by caterpillar flies .
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Josef J. de Freina, Thomas J. Witt: Noctuoidea, Sphingoidea, Geometroidea, Bombycoidea . In: The Bombyces and Sphinges of the Western Palaearctic . 1st edition. tape 1 . EFW Edition Research & Science, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-926285-00-1 , p. 435 .
- ↑ a b c d Elliot Pinhey : Hawk Moths of Central and Southern Africa. Longmans Southern Africa, Cape Town, 1962.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic. AR Pittaway, accessed February 8, 2011 .
literature
- Fritz Danner, Ulf Eitschberger, Bernhard Surholt: The enthusiasts of the western Palaearctic . In: Herbipolania, series of books on lepidopterology . 1st edition. tape 4/1 . Dr. Ulf Eitschberger, Marktleuthen 1998, ISBN 3-923807-03-1 .
- Josef J. de Freina, Thomas J. Witt: Noctuoidea, Sphingoidea, Geometroidea, Bombycoidea . In: The Bombyces and Sphinges of the Western Palaearctic . 1st edition. tape 1 . EFW Edition Research & Science, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-926285-00-1 .
- Elliot Pinhey : Hawk Moths of Central and Southern Africa. Longmans Southern Africa, Cape Town, 1962.
- AR Pittaway: The Hawkmoths of the western Palaearctic . Harley Books, 1993, ISBN 0-946589-21-6 .