Sphingidae Hawkmoths

I don't know what the problem is. I have all hawkmoth when leaving pupae normally spread their wings, and proserpines including. Maybe the humidity conditions are not suitable (too dry)?

Sergey! I'm sorry to interrupt you. I would be very grateful! Could you briefly describe the conditions in which Proserpinus proserpina pupae live and what conditions they spend the winter in? Georgy.

      Sergey! I'm sorry to interrupt you. I would be very grateful! Could you briefly describe the conditions in which Proserpinus proserpina pupae live and what conditions they spend the winter in? Georgy.

The winter storage area for proserpines, as well as all my other hawk moth pupae and wintering pupae of other groups, was chosen as the basement of a private house. The temperature there is usually kept in the range of +1...+ 5 °C, there is never a minus sign. The storage tank is plastic five-liter cans of mineral water with a cut-off neck. Pupae are stored in a layer of substrate - slightly moistened sawdust. The main condition is that the sawdust should be slightly moist, but not wet. During the winter, I regularly monitor the humidity, if I see that it is too dry, then I moisten it. Thanks to the creation of such conditions, it was possible to achieve almost one hundred percent survival of pupae during wintering. Moreover, even in very rare cases of pupal death, most often it turns out that the cause of death of pupae is the presence of parasites in them, and not the wintering conditions. This is what concerns wintering. There is another important point. Do not forget that you need to periodically moisten the pupae transferred in the spring after wintering in the heat. It is enough to spray the pupae with water from a flower sprayer a couple of times in the morning. This encourages a faster exit of the butterfly and subsequently ensures successful spreading of the wings when leaving the pupa.

Sphinx ligustri (Linnaeus, 1758)
These specimens were bred from pupae brought from Moscow from the 6th International Congress of the Entomological Forum /4th International Entomological Fair held in 2012. Butterflies appeared after wintering in the spring of 2013.

Female:



Male:



Sphinx pinastri Linnaeus, 1758
A common, well-known species. Unlike some other species of hawkmoth, it is never mass-produced. At least, at a time when sometimes bedstraw, medium and small wine hawk moth come to light in droves, pine hawk moth never flies to the light en masse, always in single specimens. In the literature about forage plants of this species, they often write something like the following: "they develop on pine, less often on spruce and larch." Although I would question the fact of feeding this species on spruce and larch. At least, I found my only caterpillar of this species on a young pine tree (which is also unusual in itself, because it follows from literary sources that caterpillars should be found in the crowns of adult trees). Another interesting feature is that butterflies of this species are attracted not only by the nectar of flowers, but also often fly to the wine and honey bait, usually used for catching catocals.

16.07.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light

pine hawkmoth never flies to the light en masse, always in single specimens. In the literature about forage plants of this species, they often write something like the following: "they develop on pine, less often on spruce and larch." Although I would question the fact of feeding this species on spruce and larch.

I was told that there is still sometimes a lot of it. But I didn't specify exactly how much for the evening.
As for fodder, I reared on spruce and pine. Fir trees grew better. But I don't know how it works in nature.

The winter storage area for proserpines, as well as all my other hawk moth pupae and wintering pupae of other groups, was chosen as the basement of a private house. The temperature there is usually kept in the range of +1...+ 5 °C, there is never a minus sign. The storage tank is plastic five-liter cans of mineral water with a cut-off neck. Pupae are stored in a layer of substrate - slightly moistened sawdust. The main condition is that the sawdust should be slightly moist, but not wet. During the winter, I regularly monitor the humidity, if I see that it is too dry, then I moisten it. Thanks to the creation of such conditions, it was possible to achieve almost one hundred percent survival of pupae during wintering. Moreover, even in very rare cases of pupal death, most often it turns out that the cause of death of pupae is the presence of parasites in them, and not the wintering conditions. This is what concerns wintering. There is another important point. Do not forget that you need to periodically moisten the pupae transferred in the spring after wintering in the heat. It is enough to spray the pupae with water from a flower sprayer a couple of times in the morning. This encourages a faster exit of the butterfly and subsequently ensures successful spreading of the wings when leaving the pupa.

Thank you for such detailed information!!! All in all, it comes down to hydration; this is for P. proserpina, thank you..... As for the others , I'm fine. However, some species do not moisturize at all (this is in my experience). For example, pupae of Deilephila elpenor: without wintering and moistening, they give imago from the end of November to the middle of January, in the apartment. There was no escape; the main thing was not to touch them too much. I know about the rest, but ... thank you again!

However, some species do not moisturize at all (this is in my experience). For example, Deilephila elpenor pupae: without wintering or wetting

Deilephila elpenor, in the sense of wintering, according to my observations, the species is generally unkillable! Once upon a time, at least ten years ago, at the dawn of my passion for butterflies, I found two caterpillars. I finished feeding them, and the caterpillars pupated normally. At that time, I didn't know how to properly organize wintering. As a result, these unfortunate two pupae had to spend the whole winter at the bottom of a half-liter glass jar on the street without any protection from the cold and frost! The temperature that winter, as I now recall, often dropped to minus thirty at night and consistently -15...-20 °C during the day. Such a normal Central Russian winter. And nothing. Overwintered, hatched in the spring.

Deilephila elpenor, in the sense of wintering, according to my observations, the species is generally unkillable! Once upon a time, at least ten years ago, at the dawn of my passion for butterflies, I found two caterpillars. I finished feeding them, and the caterpillars pupated normally. At that time, I didn't know how to properly organize wintering. As a result, these unfortunate two pupae had to spend the whole winter at the bottom of a half-liter glass jar on the street without any protection from the cold and frost! The temperature that winter, as I now recall, often dropped to minus thirty at night and consistently -15...-20 °C during the day. Such a normal Central Russian winter. And nothing. Overwintered, hatched in the spring.

Yes.... Does this happen?! At night, up to -30 gr.!!! However, this may not be strange, the pupae of Elpenors do not overwinter deep, or even in the surface layers of the soil. In principle, this is the first time I've heard it. Add this message to an article or book on Bombyces or Sphingidae in Russia, which has already been discussed about its future.

Well, here with a mass summer, you usually have to be lucky, you just need to be in the right place and at the right time.
Pine hawkmoth in our Chigasovo was previously very rare, since there was only spruce forest around. After sanitary logging of fir trees damaged by bark beetles, pine trees were salted. The pine trees have already grown up, and the hawk moth trees have become one of the most common. In addition to them, other previously unknown species also appeared: Dendrolimus pini, Bupalus piniarius, Panolis flammea.

After all, in the east of the MO among the pine forests, S. pinastri is really massive.

I am interested in what kind of GIS system produces such beautiful maps as the distribution of fake ))). Tired of drawing maps with my hands in corel)))

Deilephila elpenor, in the sense of wintering, according to my observations, the species is generally unkillable! Once upon a time, at least ten years ago, at the dawn of my passion for butterflies, I found two caterpillars. I finished feeding them, and the caterpillars pupated normally. At that time, I didn't know how to properly organize wintering. As a result, these unfortunate two pupae had to spend the whole winter at the bottom of a half-liter glass jar on the street without any protection from the cold and frost! The temperature that winter, as I now recall, often dropped to minus thirty at night and consistently -15...-20 °C during the day. Such a normal Central Russian winter. And nothing. Overwintered, hatched in the spring.

Dear Sergey!!!
Yes, maybe Morozzz will not scold me here, which is not the topic. I'm sorry for all the annoying comments.... Like: "...and here I am!". And once again: I sincerely thank you for all your advice to me!!! I wish you all the best!

I am interested in what kind of GIS system produces such beautiful maps as the distribution of fake ))). I'm tired of drawing maps with my hands in korel )))

This is just the handles and just in Korel (((((
GIS maps that I saw are "blind". What attracted me to this old Sovdepovskaya map was the presence of major mountain systems and rivers.

Hyles gallii (Rottemburg 1775)
A very well-known, painfully familiar species. According to my observations, it regularly produces two generations a year (not only in warm years, as the literature says, but in all years) - the first generation from mid-May to early July and the second-in August. In the literature, a fairly wide range of caterpillar food plants is indicated for this species, but personally I have found bedstraw moth caterpillars on narrow-leaved willow tea (Chamaenerion angustifolium) and bedstraw (Galium sp.) (in this regard, the question for everyone: has anyone found caterpillars of this species on any other plants, other than the ones mentioned above?). On this forum, we have repeatedly written that, although this hawk moth is called "bedstraw", but its caterpillars are much more common on ivan tea, and not on bedstraw. I have to refute this information. Every season I find a large number of caterpillars of this species in nature, and I can say with confidence that the frequency of occurrence of caterpillars on Ivan tea and on bedstraw is about the same. In other words, approximately 50% of the caterpillars are found sitting on the bedstraw and about the same number on ivan tea.
Another interesting feature of this species is that in the first generation, bedstraw hawk moth butterflies are much worse at flying to the light (you can say, almost do not fly) than in the second generation. So, in the first generation of butterflies of this species in the evening in the mass can be attracted by the nectar of flowers (in my case, this is lilac), but for some reason they almost do not fly to the light (maximum one copy per month). In the second generation, the situation is different - butterflies fly very actively to the nectar of flowers (phlox, and in addition, some wild species) and are well attracted to the light (in some cases, up to 10-15 butterflies per night). If anyone has encountered something similar, or who has a version about the reasons for this behavior, please share.

Here I want to introduce a female bred from a caterpillar found in nature and a male caught in the light.

ex larva 20.07.2012 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, the vicinity of the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye, the edge of a mixed forest, on Ivan-chai, imago 26.05.2013



16.07.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light



The pupa from which the female was subsequently hatched, shown above:

Over the past four years, I have managed to find the same three species of hawk moth of the genus Hyles that are known from the Moscow region: bedstraw (Hyles gallii), euphorbiae (Hyles euphorbiae) and Leghorn (Hyles livornica). I showed the bedstraw hawk moth in the post above, and the Leghorn moth moth on the previous page in the message URL#663. I think that for the sake of completeness, it would be appropriate to place here a photo of the third species - the euphorbiae hawk moth, collected in the Ivanovo region.

Hyles euphorbiae (Linnaeus, 1758)
In my area - a rather rare stray migrant. However, the abnormally hot years of 2010 and 2011 were not uncommon. But in 2012, its number dropped to a normal level, that is, to a complete absence.

Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, na svet
Samka, 30.07.2010


Male, 06.08.2010



This post was edited by TEMPUS - 11/21/2013 22: 52

This is just the handles and just in Korel (((((
GIS maps that I saw are "blind". What attracted me to this old Sovdepovskaya map was the presence of major mountain systems and rivers.

Vadim, I have almost a whole general notebook with data for mapping Sphingidae. m. b. will there be any additions to it? Almost all types from the ex-USSR. I can make a copy and send it to you if you are interested....... George.

Thank you, I'll take it into account if we agree on something specific. While the question of the feasibility of such a publication hangs in the air.

Mapping hawk moth doesn't seem like an interesting business. Now, if people undertook to prepare the genitals of hawk moth collected in different places of their ranges and then posted a photo, even on this site in a separate topic, this could contribute to their study.

Hemaris tityus (Linnaeus, 1758)
As a rule, a relatively rare species. However, this season in my area has reached a fairly high population.

17.05.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, sukhodolny meadow



29.05.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Klochkovo, mixed forest

[quote=Penzyak,18.11.2013 14:44]

Dear Oleg, Don't worry! This is already being done everywhere. It will be published soon! And all the forage plants will be only ours! And everything else is very interesting will be a lot! We're working! Remember! Every day!
Good luck!
Oleg
[/quote]
Very cool! When, at least approximately, will this be published? Often books are published and I am not informed; I have to be late, and it is difficult to get interesting work. Here, for example, the book Lvovsky, Morgun / / Bulavous Lepidoptera of Eastern Europe-acquired with difficulty, through his colleague. All the best! Georgy.

The genus Deilephila sp. probably includes two of the most common hawk moth species in my area - the medium wine moth (D. elpenor) and the small wine moth (D. porcellus). For both of these types, the literature indicates something like the following: allegedly, " they can give a second generation in August in warm years." I can confidently refute this information. They never have any second generation, it was not even in the abnormally hot 2010 and 2011 of the year. Of course, individual individuals of the lesser wine hawk moth (D. porcellus) can arrive until mid - July, and the middle wine hawk moth (D. elpenor) can arrive until mid-August, but this can by no means be considered the second generation, but most likely, judging by the condition of the specimens, echoes of the first generation.

Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758)
The usual, painfully familiar look. Butterflies of this species are attracted not only by the nectar of flowers, but also often fly to the wine and honey bait, usually used for catching Catocala sp. (it is not for nothing that the word "wine" is present in the name of this type). Caterpillars are also very common, in my area I often see D. elpenor caterpillars sitting on the stems of willow tea (Chamaenerion angustifolium), hairy cypress (Epilobium hirsutum) and marsh cypress (Epilobium palustre). In the literature, bedstraw (Galium sp.) is also often mentioned as a food plant, but I personally have never found D. elpenor caterpillars on this plant. There are as many bedstraw moth caterpillars as you want, once a small wine moth caterpillar (D. porcellus), but never a medium wine moth caterpillar on a bedstraw. It seems that in the literature bedstraw as a food plant of D. elpenor caterpillars is indicated accidentally. They made a mistake somewhere once, and in subsequent editions they copied this error.

01.06.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light



ex larva 17.07.2012 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, the vicinity of the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye, the edge of a mixed forest, on Ivan-chai, imago 24.05.2013



Caterpillars, brown shape.
01.09.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, mixed forest, on Ivan-chai






Pupae obtained from the above caterpillars
09.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, mixed forest, on ivan-tea



Deilephila porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Also a very ordinary view. Like the previous species, it also likes to fly to the wine and honey bait. The only caterpillar in more than 10 years of active harvesting was found on the bedstraw (Galium sp.). In general, the search for caterpillars of this species is somewhat paradoxical. In my area, D. porcellus butterflies are often found, willingly flying to the light, sometimes arriving in the amount of several dozen specimens per night. I used to think that if butterflies of a particular species occur frequently, its caterpillars should also occur frequently. In the case of medium-sized wine hawks (D. elpenor), bedstraw hawks (Hyles gallii), ocellate hawks (S. ocellatus), and poplar hawks (L. populi), this statement turns out to be true. But for some reason it doesn't work in the case of small wine hawk moth. Butterflies are common, caterpillars are extremely rare (as I wrote above, the caterpillar was found only once), although I always carefully inspect all the bedstraw and willow-tea thickets in sunny places in July and August (according to literature data, D. porcellus caterpillars should live in sunny, well-warmed places). But there is practically no result yet. Does anyone know any effective methods for finding Deilephila porcellus caterpillars? Please give me some advice.

01.06.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light





This post was edited by TEMPUS - 26.11.2013 11: 35

The genus Deilephila sp. probably includes two of the most common hawk moth species in my area - the medium wine moth (D. elpenor) and the small wine moth (D. porcellus). For both of these types, the literature indicates something like the following: allegedly, " they can give a second generation in August in warm years." I can confidently refute this information. They never have any second generation, it was not even in the abnormally hot 2010 and 2011 of the year. Of course, individual individuals of the lesser wine hawk moth (D. porcellus) can arrive until mid - July, and the middle wine hawk moth (D. elpenor) can arrive until mid-August, but this can by no means be considered the second generation, but most likely, judging by the condition of the specimens, echoes of the first generation.

Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758)
The usual, painfully familiar look. Butterflies of this species are attracted not only by the nectar of flowers, but also often fly to the wine and honey bait, usually used for catching Catocala sp. (it is not for nothing that the word "wine" is present in the name of this type). Caterpillars are also very common, in my area I often see D. elpenor caterpillars sitting on the stems of willow tea (Chamaenerion angustifolium), hairy cypress (Epilobium hirsutum) and marsh cypress (Epilobium palustre). In the literature, bedstraw (Galium sp.) is also often mentioned as a food plant, but I personally have never found D. elpenor caterpillars on this plant. There are as many bedstraw moth caterpillars as you want, once a small wine moth caterpillar (D. porcellus), but never a medium wine moth caterpillar on a bedstraw. It seems that in the literature bedstraw as a food plant of D. elpenor caterpillars is indicated accidentally. They made a mistake somewhere once, and in subsequent editions they copied this error.

01.06.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light



ex larva 17.07.2012 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, the vicinity of the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye, the edge of a mixed forest, on Ivan-chai, imago 24.05.2013



Caterpillars, brown shape.
01.09.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, mixed forest, on Ivan-chai





Pupae obtained from the above caterpillars
09.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, mixed forest, on ivan-tea


Deilephila porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Also a very ordinary view. Like the previous species, it also likes to fly to the wine and honey bait. The only caterpillar in more than 10 years of active harvesting was found on the bedstraw (Galium sp.). In general, the search for caterpillars of this species is somewhat paradoxical. In my area, D. porcellus butterflies are often found, willingly flying to the light, sometimes arriving in the amount of several dozen specimens per night. I used to think that if butterflies of a particular species occur frequently, its caterpillars should also occur frequently. In the case of medium-sized wine hawks (D. elpenor), bedstraw hawks (Hyles gallii), ocellate hawks (S. ocellatus), and poplar hawks (L. populi), this statement turns out to be true. But for some reason it doesn't work in the case of small wine hawk moth. Butterflies are common, caterpillars are extremely rare (as I wrote above, the caterpillar was found only once), although I always carefully inspect all the bedstraw and willow-tea thickets in sunny places in July and August (according to literature data, D. porcellus caterpillars should live in sunny, well-warmed places). But there is practically no result yet. Does anyone know any effective methods for finding Deilephila porcellus caterpillars? Please give me some advice.

01.06.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light

South of the Moscow region, near the town of Serpukhov; Danki settlement (protected area of the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve).
1) Deilephila elpenor L. 1 generation, apparently very long. I find the caterpillars mostly on willow-tea (Chamaenerion angustifolium ), very rarely on cypress (Epilobium sp.), only once on Impatiens (Impatiens), on bedstraw I found 2 times: South Serpukhov, pine forest; in a clearing, not far from the edge; a clearing (approximately 30 sq. m.), overgrown with about 15 willow-tea shoots, it has several bedstraw (Galium sp.) shoots; it was about 29 Aug. - 31 Aug. (or 1-3 September); ivan-tea is no longer " fresh "(drooping), about 1 m from the willow-tea shoot, 1 gus. L5 on the bedstrap. The second time in the village of Danki (anthropogenic landscape); in the middle days of August, 1 hus. L5 (recently shed), on thick bedstraw shoots.
2) Deilephila (= ? Choerocampa) porcellus L. Rather, also the 1st generation. For several years, I found about 12 caterpillars, only on the bedstraw. In July, in different places, on the heated sides, I found L4 and L5, in the very thick of dense, intertwined bedstraw shoots, i.e. inside the shoots, or near the soil under the bedstraw thick;
they had to be searched for by pushing the shoots apart; on the surface of the shoots in July-c. August = never found, hiding during the day. But at the very end of summer, at the beginning of September (especially in cloudy, cold weather), I found L5 caterpillars on the bedstrap from above, i.e. I found and took them immediately; by this time, even in cold weather, their caterpillars (? most) do not hide. Both species arrived at the fishing station light; little, more, depending on the time and place of fishing (as it turned out, I did not conduct any research). I apologize for not giving the dates and seasons exactly; I have a lot of "Entomological Diaries" (large general notebooks), and I don't have time to dig into them. By the way, but not now, I will publish some data from them on the forum. We'll see what happens next..... All the best George.

And such an interesting topic was

And there was such an interesting topic

The topic was. I want something new about it. It's not closed. And then there's the fact that it's confined to certain biotopes; there's a lot of food there, but there are no caterpillars; and there are 5 bushes-yes, they have caterpillars on them! Habitat, but how to decipher it???

And there was such an interesting topic

Or tell us what you didn't take into account in this topic?

And there was such an interesting topic

Unfounded criticism. I read it with interest, even though I had long since moved away from butterflies. I remembered how at school I also collected caterpillars and watched them.

Add your own contribution to the development of the topic. Why offend a person for no apparent reason?

  
D. porcellus is common, readily flying to the light, sometimes arriving in the amount of several dozen specimens per night. I used to think that if butterflies of a particular species occur frequently, its caterpillars should also occur frequently. ... But for some reason it doesn't work in the case of small wine hawk moth.

- Did females or only males come into the world? In the Crimea, this is one of the most common hawk moth, but only males arrive. I have never seen a female.
- Caterpillars, as far as I know, live secretly, feed at night, hide during the day. Probably buried in the litter.

in my nightly gatherings, both males and females were caught in the light of maly vinny, and in large numbers. Although there are more males...

- Did females or only males come into the world? In the Crimea, this is one of the most common hawk moth, but only males arrive. I have never seen a female.

There were both females and males in my light collections, but males are much more common (on average, 1 female per 10 males). The difficulty here is that in this species, females and males differ very poorly from each other. Almost the same size, and the differences in the abdomen and antennae in the case of D. porcellus work very poorly. In the turmoil of fishing, you can hardly tell who has flown to you - male or female, you have to take everyone in a row. And only at home, in a quiet environment, during the unfolding of the material, when there is an opportunity to carefully consider, the differences between the sexes in D. porcellus become obvious.

Smerinthus ocellatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
A common, frequently occurring type. It has one very long generation per year (it can arrive until the end of July).
Caterpillars of this species are not difficult to find, I managed to find them on narrow-leaved willows (Salix tenuifolia), goat (S. caprea), eared (S. aurita), aspen (Populus tremula) and wild apple trees (Malus sp.). They sit low (very rarely much higher than my height), quite openly and generally clearly visible. At the same time, during fattening, the caterpillars found on willows willingly and without problems switched from one type of willow to another, but, alas, they categorically refused to switch to aspen (I usually try to transfer the caterpillars found to aspen, since it is most convenient for me to work with this plant, except in cases when, according to the results of the research, I was able to I know for sure from previous experiments that translating to aspen is impossible for caterpillars of this species). The caterpillars found on wild apple trees turned out to be almost impossible to translate into either willows or aspens.
For the ocular hawk moth, I know of two different color forms of caterpillars: green and green with rows of red spots on the sides.

Tracks
Green form.
29.08.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, the vicinity of the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye, the outskirts of a mixed forest, on an aspen tree



Shape with rows of red spots on the sides.
17.09.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, Teza River bank, on the narrow-leaved willow


Pupa derived from a caterpillar with rows of red spots on the sides


Next spring we are waiting for a butterfly.

both males and females were caught in my night gatherings for the light of maly vinny,

There were both females and males in my collections for the light, ... Here the difficulty is that in this species, females and males differ very badly from each other.

For some reason, there are almost no photos of females on the Internet. Here and above in the topic in my opinion, too, males.
As for the differences, in my opinion, they differ well in the antennae.

Like a female. Hungary, June

in my nightly gatherings, both males and females were caught in the light of maly vinny, and in large numbers. Although there are more males...

In most cases, males arrive from photoxene lepidoptera. In Sphingidae, the situation is similar. At me, on u/f-light arrive (different types of hawk moth) almost only males. Of the hawkmoths, only the poplar (Laothoe populi)flew to the lamp and as females. 1 time a female Smerinthus ocellatus flew into the world, it was generally a sensation, and in the literature (G. N. Gornostaev: 1984:101-167) this species is marked for females as 0 % (to light). This specimen is kept as a scientific curiosity in my collection. I don't know how you also have females arriving? Maybe the climate is different, a factor of population?
Pine, both wine, linden, bedstraw, etc., flew exclusively males. Moscow region, south, Serpukhov, ROC. Serpukhov, as well as the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve.

  Smerinthus ocellatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
A common, frequently occurring type. It has one very long generation per year (it can arrive until the end of July).
Caterpillars of this species are not difficult to find, I managed to find them on narrow-leaved willows (Salix tenuifolia), goat (S. caprea), eared (S. aurita), aspen (Populus tremula) and wild apple trees (Malus sp.). They sit low (very rarely much higher than my height), quite openly and generally clearly visible. At the same time, during fattening, the caterpillars found on willows willingly and without problems switched from one type of willow to another, but, alas, they categorically refused to switch to aspen (I usually try to transfer the caterpillars found to aspen, since it is most convenient for me to work with this plant, except in cases when, according to the results of the research, I was able to I know for sure from previous experiments that translating to aspen is impossible for caterpillars of this species). The caterpillars found on wild apple trees turned out to be almost impossible to translate into either willows or aspens.
For the ocular hawk moth, I know of two different color forms of caterpillars: green and green with rows of red spots on the sides.

Tracks
Green form.
29.08.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, the vicinity of the village of Krasnoarmeyskoye, the outskirts of a mixed forest, on an aspen tree



Shape with rows of red spots on the sides.
17.09.2013 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, near the village of Polki, Teza River bank, on the narrow-leaved willow


Pupa derived from a caterpillar with rows of red spots on the sides

Next spring we are waiting for a butterfly.

Smerinthus ocellatus also has (but rarely) a bluish caterpillar shape. In my early youth, I found one, I thought it was a blind man (!), but I got an ordinary ocular one. We previously referred to this form as "sea-green".

   Smerinthus ocellatus also has (but rarely) a bluish caterpillar shape. In my early youth, I found one, I thought it was a blind man (!), but I got an ordinary ocular one. We previously referred to this form as "sea-green".

I agree. I myself have repeatedly found caterpillars of this color.

1 time a female Smerinthus ocellatus flew into the world, it was generally a sensation, and in the literature (G. N. Gornostaev: 1984:101-167) this species is marked for females as 0 % (to light).
Pine, both wine, linden, bedstraw, etc., flew exclusively males. Moscow region, south, Serpukhov, ROC. Serpukhov, as well as the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve.

I have a slightly different picture. In my area, female hawk moth, although rare, but arrive at the light-five copies for the time period from 2006 to 2013. Moreover, in 2006 and 2012, it was possible to catch one specimen of S. ocellatus females, and in 2011 as many as three specimens! Here is one of those five copies:

20.05.2011 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light



In addition, I regularly catch females of poplar, bedstraw, middle wine, pine, proserpine, and in the memorable 2010 and 2011 years also euphorbia hawkmoth. I have already shown in this topic the females of poplar (message URL#670),milkweed (message URL#670) and medium wine (message URL#745) hawkmoth caught in the light. To complete the picture, I post further the females of bedstraw, pine hawk moth and proserpine caught in the light.:

Hyles gallii (Rottemburg, 1775), female
08.07.2011 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light


Sphinx pinastri Linnaeus, 1758female
23.07.2010 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light


Proserpinus proserpina (Pallas, 1772)female
01.06.2012 Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light



So far, female aspen (L. amurensis) and linden hawkmoth (M. tiliae) hawkmoth remain a pipe dream for me. So far, only males of these species are caught. There is also no way to get linden hawk moth caterpillars.

What can I do? The females don't "love"me. That's if you buy a gasoline power plant, and catch in places where the species is concentrated... Maybe there would be a different situation?! Sergey! I wish you only the best!!! Georgy.

Next, I ask for the help of specialists. Help us determine whether the specimens of the lesser wine hawk moth presented below are males or females. I especially count on Vladimir (okoem).

Ivanovo region, Shuisky district, Krasnoarmeyskoye village, garden plot No. 34, on light
1) 02.06.2010

2)29.07.2013

1 time a female Smerinthus ocellatus flew into the world, ... I don't know how you also have females arriving?

I had two females fly in from 2006 to 2013.

what is the sex of the lesser wine hawk moth specimens presented below: males or females?

At the top, as far as I can see, is a male.
Photos of the two lower butterflies are very small, you can't see the antennae.
In male hawk moth, the antennae are longer and bear a noticeable comb (seen in the upper photo). In females, the antennae are club-shaped, shorter, the comb is not pronounced.

Male

Female