''Agrius convolvuli'', the convolvulus hawk-moth, is a large
hawk-moth
The Sphingidae are a family of moths (Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, bu ...
. It is common throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand,
partly as a migrant. In New Zealand, it is also known as the kumara moth, and in the
Māori language
Māori (), or ('the Māori language'), also known as ('the language'), is an Eastern Polynesian language spoken by the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. Closely related to Cook Islands Māori, Tuamotuan, and ...
as hīhue.
Description and habits
The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingspan o ...
is 80–105 mm. This hawkmoth's basic coloration is in grayish tones, but the abdomen has a broad gray dorsal stripe and pink and black bands edged with white on the sides. The hindwings are light gray with darker broad crosslines.
Agrius convolvuli - MHNT CUT 2010 0 470 - Gironde France - Male dorsal.jpg, ♂
Agrius convolvuli - MHNT CUT 2010 0 470 - Gironde France - Male ventral.jpg, ♂ △
Agrius convolvuli - MHNT CUT 2010 0 470 - Gironde France - Female dorsal.jpg, ♀
Agrius convolvuli - MHNT CUT 2010 0 470 - Gironde France - Female ventral.jpg, ♀ △
Its favourite time is around sunset and during the twilight, when it is seen in gardens hovering over the flowers. This moth is very attracted to light, so it is often killed by cars on highways. Its caterpillars eat the leaves of the ''
'', hence its
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
name "convolvuli". Other recorded food plants include a wide range of plants in the families
Araceae
The Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe (or leaf-like bract). A ...
,
Convolvulaceae
Convolvulaceae (), commonly called the bindweeds or morning glories, is a family of about 60 genera and more than 1,650 species. These species are primarily herbaceous vines, but also include trees, shrubs and herbs. The tubers of several spe ...
,
and
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familia ...
. It can be a pest of cultivated ''
Ipomoea batatas'' (sweet potato or kūmara) in New Zealand and the Pacific. It feeds on the wing and has a very long
proboscis
A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...
(longer than its body) that enables it to feed on long trumpet-like flowers such as ''
Nicotiana sylvestris''.
The caterpillars can be in a number of different colours. As well as brown (pictured below) they have been seen in bright green and black.
Similar species
''A. convolvuli'' is unmistakable in the eastern area of distribution, in the western area of distribution it can be mistaken for ''
Agrius cingulatus''. This species, found mainly in South and Central America, is repeatedly detected on the western shores of Europe. ''Agrius cingulatus'' can be distinguished on the basis of the clearly stronger pink colouring of the abdominal segments and a similarly coloured rear wing base. In addition, ''Agrius convolvuli'' form ''pseudoconvolvuli''
Schaufuss, 1870 has some resemblance with North American species in the genus ''
Manduca'', for instance ''
Manduca sexta''.
Gallery
File:Agrius convoluli variation sjh.JPG, ''Agrius convoluli'' variation
File:Agrius convolvuli korseby.jpeg, Larva of ''Agrius convolvuli''
File:Agrius convolvuli LC0286.jpg, Larva of ''Agrius convolvuli''
File:Windenschwärmer Puppe Erdkokon.jpg, Pupa of ''Agrius convolvuli''
References
External links
*
Convolvulus Hawk-mothat ''UKMoths''
*
Description in Richard South ''The Moths of the British Isles''
''Lepiforum e.V.''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agrius Convolvuli
Agrius (moth)
Moths described in 1758
Moths of Africa
Moths of Europe
Moths of Asia
Moths of Oceania
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus