|
Hover (behaviour)
Hovering is the ability exhibited by some winged animals to remain relatively stationary in midair. Usually this involves rapid downward thrusts of the wings to generate upward Lift (force), lift. Sometimes hovering is maintained by Bird flight#Flapping flight, flapping or Bird flight#Gliding flight, soaring into a headwind; this form of hovering is called "wind hovering", "windhovering", or "kiting". True hoverers Hummingbirds Hummingbirds hover over flowers to obtain nectar, flapping their Bird wing, wings at up to 70 beats per second. Archilochus colubris-male hovering.jpg, Ruby-throated hummingbird Calypte costae-male hovering nectaring.jpg, Costa's hummingbird Sword-billed hummingbird (male) at Guango Lodge, Ecuador (21310837273).jpg, Sword-billed hummingbird Bats Like hummingbirds, Megabat, fruit bats and Nectarivore#Mammals, nectar bats hover over flowers while feeding on fruits or nectar. Comparison between bats and hummingbirds has revealed that these animals exer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, but also can be seen in Europe. They can be found in deep forests near calm ponds and small rivers. The family contains 114 species and is divided into three subfamilies and 19 genera. All kingfishers have large heads, long, sharp, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with only small differences between the sexes. Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority are found only in forests. They consume a wide range of prey usually caught by swooping down from a perch. While kingfishers are usually thought to live near rivers and eat fish, many species live away from water and eat small invertebrates. Like other members of their order, they nest in cavities, usually tunnels dug i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Squash Vine Borer
The squash vine borer (''Melittia cucurbitae'') is a diurnal species of sesiid moth. The moth is often mistaken for a bee or wasp because of its movements, and the bright orange hind leg scales. The females typically lay their eggs at the base of leaf stalks, and the caterpillars develop and feed inside the stalk, eventually killing the leaf. They soon migrate to the main stem, and with enough feeding damage to the stem, the entire plant may die. For this reason, it is considered a pest that attacks cultivated varieties of squash, zucchini, pumpkin, and acorn squash. The squash vine borer is native to North America, with some reports as far south as Brazil and Argentina. It lives in most temperate North American states, except the Pacific coast. Southern states have two broods a year. Control Pesticides are ineffective after the larvae are inside the plant. Gardeners find this a difficult pest to combat. Some try to avoid the pest by timing the production season to harvest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melittia Calabaza
''Melittia'' is a genus of moths in the family Sesiidae. Species *'' Melittia abyssiniensis'' Hampson, 1919 *'' Melittia acosmetes'' Hampson, 1919 *'' Melittia afonini'' Gorbunov & Arita, 1999 *'' Melittia amboinensis'' Felder, 1861 *'' Melittia arcangelii'' Giacomelli, 1911 *'' Melittia astarte'' (Westwood, 1848) *'' Melittia auriplumia '' Hampson, 1910 *'' Melittia aureosquamata'' (Wallengren, 1863) *'' Melittia aurociliata'' (Aurivillius, 1879) *'' Melittia azrael'' Le Cerf, 1914 *''Melittia bella'' Arita & Gorbunov, 1996 *''Melittia bergii'' Edwards, 1883 *''Melittia binghami'' Niceville, 1900 *'' Melittia bombyliformis'' Cramer, 1782 *'' Melittia boulleti'' Le Cerf, 1917 *''Melittia brabanti'' Le Cerf, 1917 *'' Melittia burmana'' Le Cerf, 1916b *''Melittia butleri'' Druce, 1883 *'' Melittia calabaza'' Duckworth & Eichlin, 1973 *'' Melittia callosoma'' Hampson, 1919 *'' Melittia celebica'' Le Cerf, 1916 *'' Melittia chalconota'' Hampson, 1910 *'' Melittia chal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chamaesphecia Bibioniformis
''Chamaesphecia bibioniformis'' is a moth of the family Sesiidae. It is found in southern Europe (from Spain to southern Russia) and from Asia Minor to Kyrgyzstan. The wingspan is 19–21 mm. Adults are on wing in June and July. The larvae feed on ''Euphorbia'' species, including ''Euphorbia gerardiana'', ''Euphorbia sequieriana'', ''Euphorbia myrsinites'', ''Euphorbia angustifrons'', ''Euphorbia serrata'', ''Euphorbia nicaeensis'', ''Euphorbia niciciana'', ''Euphorbia pannonica'' and ''Euphorbia macroclada''. References Moths described in 1800 Sesiidae Moths of Europe Moths of Asia {{Sesiidae-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ovipositing
The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typically its form is adapted to functions such as preparing a place for the egg, transmitting the egg, and then placing it properly. For most insects, the organ is used merely to attach the egg to some surface, but for many parasitic species (primarily in wasps and other Hymenoptera), it is a piercing organ as well. Some ovipositors only retract partly when not in use, and the basal part that sticks out is known as the scape, or more specifically oviscape, the word ''scape'' deriving from the Latin word '' scāpus'', meaning "stalk" or "shaft". In insects Grasshoppers use their ovipositors to force a burrow into the earth to receive the eggs. Cicadas pierce the wood of twigs with their ovipositors to insert the eggs. Sawflies slit the t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mud-puddling
Mud-puddling, or simply puddling, is a behaviour most conspicuous in butterflies, but occurs in other animals as well, mainly insects; they seek out nutrients in certain moist substances such as rotting plant matter, mud and carrion and they suck up the fluid. Where the conditions are suitable, conspicuous insects such as butterflies commonly form aggregations on wet soil, dung or carrion. (1996): Mating systems and sexual division of foraging effort affect puddling behaviour by butterflies. ''Ecological Entomology'' 21(2): 193-197PDF fulltext/ref> From the fluids they obtain salts and amino acids that play various roles in their physiology, ethology and ecology. (1999): Mud-puddling behavior in tropical butterflies: In search of proteins or minerals? ''Oecologia'' 119(1): 140–148. (HTML abstractPDF fulltext This behaviour also has been seen in some other insects, notably the leafhoppers, e.g. the potato leafhopper, '' Empoasca fabae''. Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sesiidae
The Sesiidae or clearwing moths are a diurnality, diurnal moth family (biology), family in the order Lepidoptera known for their Batesian mimicry in both appearance and behaviour of various Hymenoptera. The family consists of 165 genus, genera spread over two subfamilies, containing in total 1525 species and 49 subspecies, most of which occur in the tropics, though there are many species in the Holarctic region as well, including over a hundred species known to occur in Europe. Morphology Sesiidae are characterized by their hymenopteriform Batesian mimicry, frequently of identifiable species. Most species of Sesiidae have wings with areas where scale (insect anatomy), scales are nearly completely absent, resulting in partial, marked transparency. Forewings are commonly elongated and narrow in the basal half. In many species, the abdomen is elongated, with an anal tuft, and striped or ringed yellow, red or white, sometimes very brightly so. Legs are long, thin and frequently co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hemaris Fuciformis
''Hemaris fuciformis'', known as the broad-bordered bee hawk-moth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. Distribution It is found in North Africa, Europe (except northern Scandinavia) and central and eastern Asia. Description The wingspan is . The moth flies from April to September depending on the location. Hemaris fuciformis larvae.jpg, Figs, 3, 3a larvae after last moult 3b larva just before pupation 3c pupa The larvae feed on honeysuckle and ''Galium ''Galium'' is a large genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the family Rubiaceae, occurring in the temperate zones of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Some species are informally known as bedstraw. There are over 600 sp ...'' species. Hemaris fuciformis MHNT dos.jpg, ♂ Hemaris fuciformis MHNT ventre.jpg, ♂ △ Hemaris fuciformis - MHNT CUT 2010 0 510 - Dordogne France - female ventral.jpg, ♀ Hemaris fuciformis - MHNT CUT 2010 0 510 - Dordogne France -female dorsal.jpg, ♀ △ Hemaris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hummingbird Hawk-moth
The hummingbird hawk-moth (''Macroglossum stellatarum'') is a species of hawk moth found across temperate regions of Eurasia. The species is named for its similarity to hummingbirds, as they feed on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their long proboscis while hovering in the air; this resemblance is an example of convergent evolution. The hummingbird hawk-moth was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. As of 2018, its entire genome and mitogenome have been sequenced. Distribution The hummingbird hawk-moth is distributed throughout the northern Old World from Portugal to Japan, but it breeds mainly in warmer climates (southern Europe, North Africa, and points east). Three generations are produced in a year in Spain. It is a strong flier, dispersing widely in the summer. However it rarely survives the winter in northern latitudes (e.g. north of the Alps in Europe, north of the Caucasus in Russia). Moths in the genus ''Hemaris ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hemaris Thysbe
''Hemaris thysbe'', the hummingbird clearwing, is a moth of the family Sphingidae (hawkmoths). Coloration varies between individuals, but typically the moth is olive green and burgundy on its back, and white or yellow and burgundy on the underside. Its wings are transparent with a reddish-brown border. It has light-colored legs, which combined with the lack of striping on the underside is diagnostic. Beating its wings rapidly, ''H. thysbe'' hovers to collect nectar from a variety of flowers. The combination of its appearance and its behavior commonly leads to it being confused with a hummingbird or bumblebee. ''Hemaris thysbe'' is found in a large portion of North America, with a range extending from Alaska to Oregon in the west and from Newfoundland to Florida in the east. It is a migratory species and is most common in southern Ontario and the eastern United States. ''H. thysbe'' has two broods a year in the southern portion of its range, but only one in the north. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sphingidae
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, but species are found in every region.Scoble, Malcolm J. (1995): ''The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity'' (2nd edition). Oxford University Press & Natural History Museum London. They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their agile and sustained flying ability, similar enough to that of hummingbirds as to be reliably mistaken for them. Their narrow wings and streamlined abdomens are adaptations for rapid flight. The family was named by French zoologist Pierre André Latreille in 1802. Some hawk moths, such as the hummingbird hawk-moth or the white-lined sphinx, hover in midair while they feed on nectar from flowers, so are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds. This hovering capability is only kno ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
