Sphingidae
| Vernacular names | |
|---|---|
| • Deutsch: | Schwärmer |
| • English: | hawk moths |
| • Español: | esfíngidos |
| • Français: | sphinx |
Sphingidae (hawk moths)
The family contains more than 1,000 species of medium to large moths. They are characterized by their elongated forewings which have a very oblique outer margin. The moths are good and fast flyers. Several species are important pests like the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, which attacks solanaceous crops in the Americas.
The caterpillars usually have a prominent horn at the end of the abdomen (horn worms). The antennae of the adults increase in width in the basal third. The tip is pointed and hooked. The adults feed on flowers and some have an extremely long proboscis. Some species enter beehives to rob honey.
For details see the respective page in Wikipedia.
The following genera and species are currently entered under Cossidae:
