Brazhnik butterfly - description, habitat, species

The world of insects is vast and amazing. Lepidoptera occupy a special place in it, otherwise butterflies, the variety of which amazes everyone: the average man, the amateur, and even the researcher. So, among the well-known marigolds and skits, there are truly exotic representatives of the class. Similar is the hawthorn butterfly. The family has such unofficial names as “sphinx” or “northern hummingbird”. The origin of the first is associated with the unusual way of eating food by a moth, the second - with the heroic size of the usually fragile and elegant insects.

Entomologists have identified a huge number of species of butterfly hawthorn, each of which has a distinctive color and a distinctive wing pattern. You can verify this by referring to specific examples. So, the wine hawker owns exquisite burgundy wings; Brazhnik dead head stands out among others due to the unique pattern on the wings and back, resembling a symbolic image of a human skull.

What is the reason for such an extensive range of varieties of color species of one family? Scientists determine this fact by the dependence of color changes on food and animal habitat. However, in spite of such an extensive palette, most butterflies of hawthorn are decorated with a pattern, the compositional elements of which are an oblique strip and large spots of “eyes”.

What does an insect look like?

As noted earlier, representatives of this family are large-sized individuals. Sufficient insect heaviness is provided by an impressive cone-shaped body. The wings of the butterfly are partly drawn in; their wingspan varies from 3.5 centimeters to 17.5 centimeters. Interesting characteristics can be given to the antennae of the insect: long enough, pointed to the ends, have the shape of hooks. In the upper part of the body of the shredder are eyes that are crowned with eyebrows formed from small scales. At a lower level with respect to the eyes, there is the proboscis, which, when deployed, can reach a length that easily exceeds the size of the moth's body. Spikes on the legs of the insect also play the role of "zest", since most butterflies cost only plentiful hair.

The lower part of the body of the shredder is completely covered with scales. Interesting is its lengthening through this protective layer: toward the end of the abdomen, the flakes continue, thereby creating a ponytail. The large wings of the hawthorn located in front of them are pointed from above. The outer edge varies: in some individuals it is mostly flat, some boast a carved solution. Hidden hind wings are smaller than the front. They are characterized by bevels and recesses at the ends.

Hogworm larvae often live in the crowns of trees such as birch or alder, linden or chestnut, pear or apple tree. There they appear at the end of the first summer month.

On the Internet you can find a huge number of photographs depicting butterflies of hawks. But many users note that digital media cannot convey the amazing beauty and unusualness that nature has endowed with this insect.

What is the lifestyle of hawks?

In the natural environment there are many different species of this family of Lepidoptera. Their feature is that each of them has its own period of greatest activity. Some species prefer to activate at night, another - during the day, the third - like larks, in the early morning, the fourth - like vampires, like twilight.So the fate of some hawks has developed that today they need protection. Therefore, many of them are listed in the Red Book.

The speed of flight of the insect is very high. During movement in the air, it emits a specific buzz, since the moth often flaps its wings. Just imagine, in one second he manages to do fifty-two strokes. All this became the basis for comparing the brazhnik butterfly with a small airplane.

In their appearance, large individuals easily resemble birds. Among the species whose representatives can be confused with birds, there are, for example, oleander hawthorn. He manages to fly very long distances during crossings both from one country to another and from one continent to another.

Types of butterflies

1. Ophthalmic hawthorn. The size of its front wing is between 32 and 42 millimeters, so the wingspan can reach 8 centimeters. The carved edge of the retracted wings is the main difference between the species. The color of the wings is heterogeneous. First of all, it is represented by a brown background color. In addition, the wings are decorated with patterns resembling the natural “ornament” of marble. On the back of the body of the insect is a brown strip. Small wings located behind the front ones are painted with pinkish and red colors. There are also spots on them, often called “eyes” for their similarity with the real eyes of animals. Being painted black they have a light blue ring inside. The antennae of the butterfly resemble small saws in shape.
2. Tobacco Hogwash. Usually lives in the tropics of the South American continent and is sometimes found by entomologists in some places in the United States of America. The insect got its name due to its frequent presence on plantations where tobacco grows. Americans call it one of the main pests of this plant. Such a conclusion is not accidental, because it is tobacco that forms the basis of the diet of larvae. Caterpillars distinguished themselves with a unique pattern located on the abdominal part. It resembles a geometric pattern of twelve squares of yellow-red colors.
3. Linden Hogwash. It has an average wing size of 8 centimeters. The edges of the wing are uneven, with pronounced denticles. The color of the wings is iridescent: from orange to olive green. Against such an inhomogeneous background, dark spots appear. The hind wings of a butterfly are decorated with a contrast stripe. The color of the larva is usually green with red stripes. The pupa, because of its location, spends the winter period in the ground, painted brown-black. Favorable for the habitat of lime linden are deciduous forests. Therefore, species populations can often be found in Europe, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus.

What does a butterfly eat?

A favorite insect treat is flower nectar. During its consumption, the hawk does not sit on the flower, but flutters over it, hovering in one place. This makes the butterfly look like a well-known hummingbird bird. The skill of such a flight has a small number of insects.

Some species of the family eat honey. Such is the brazhnik dead head. At night, he arranges a "robbery" of hives. First, the insect flies nearby and its buzz lulls the vigilance of the bees, which take it for their own. Then it enters the honey "treasury" and sucks the contents of the honeycomb.

How do hawks breed?

The search for a partner by a female occurs using the pheromones secreted by her. The resulting pair mates.This process usually takes 30 minutes; throughout its length, individuals are motionless. After that, the butterfly lays eggs, of which caterpillars appear in 3 days. The activity of the larvae helps them prepare for the next stage. To make it happen, Nature gave the caterpillar a camouflage green color and the ability to scare away natural enemies with the help of an unpleasant smell and emitted poisons. The caterpillar carries the accumulated energy and strength with it to the soil, where it turns into a chrysalis. As such, she lives a little more than two weeks, after which she turns into a hawthorn butterfly. The formed insect leaves the cocoon and dries the wings for some time. As soon as an individual understands that it can take off, it begins to search for a partner.

Video: Butterfly Hornwort (Sphingidae)