EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Hawk Moth Extraordinaire

Oleander Hawk Moth (Deilephila [sometimes Daphnis] nerii), Family Sphingidae
Monkoto, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Explanation:  It is after dark, deep in the heart of the Congo River Basin in tropical central Africa.  In the nearby jungle I hear the chaunk chaunk calls of hammer-headed bats, numerous tink tink calls of reed frogs, and endless insect chirpings.  We fire up the generator for the evening and the back wall of our hut pierces the night with a fluorescent light.  Soon, the light gathers visitors of the night ...

... Including this amazing oleander hawk moth.  With a wingspan of 9-11 cm (3.5-4.3 inches), this huge lepidopteran is mostly nocturnal.  It feeds on the nectar of various flowers. 

The oleander hawk moth is native to parts of Europe, the Middle East, India, and northern and central Africa, and has been introduced to Hawaii.  Most references suggest that it is confined to North Africa, but I found it here in central Africa near the equator.  

This beautiful moth has often been heralded in older books on natural history and entomology.

By the way, does the pattern on the back look a bit like a face to you?  The wings of butterflies sometimes have eyespots which might serve to startle or ward off predators.  But the oleander hawk moth is mostly nocturnal, so why would it need this?  

The answer is that it might be approached by a predator during the daytime when it is roosting.  But this needs study.