Hemaris croatica
Encyclopedia
Hemaris croatica is a moth
of the Sphingidae
family. It is found on the Balkan, Anatolia
and the Caucasus
to Iran
. Along the Mediterranean coast it is found up to northern Israel
. There are local populations on the Crimea
and in eastern Ukraine
and western Kazachstan.
The wingspan
is 36-64 mm (H. croatica croatica) up to 65-71 mm (H. croatica fahira). In the north and in mountainous areas it flies in one generation in July. In warm areas it flies in two generations from May to June and in August.
The larvae have been recorded on Scabiosa
, Cephalaria
, and Asperula
species.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Sphingidae
Sphingidae
Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...
family. It is found on the Balkan, Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
and the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. Along the Mediterranean coast it is found up to northern Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. There are local populations on the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
and in eastern Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and western Kazachstan.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 36-64 mm (H. croatica croatica) up to 65-71 mm (H. croatica fahira). In the north and in mountainous areas it flies in one generation in July. In warm areas it flies in two generations from May to June and in August.
The larvae have been recorded on Scabiosa
Scabiosa
Scabiosa is a genus in the teasel Family Dipsacaceae of flowering plants. Many of the species in this genus have common names that include the word scabious; however some plants commonly known as scabious are currently classified in related genera such as Knautia and Succisa; at least some of...
, Cephalaria
Cephalaria
Cephalaria is a genus of about 65 species of flowering plants in the family Dipsacaceae, native to southern Europe, western and central Asia, and northern and southern Africa.They are annual or perennial herbaceous plants growing to 0.8-2 m tall....
, and Asperula
Asperula
Asperula is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. It contains about 200 species and has a wide distribution area from Europe, northern Africa, temperate and subtropicale Asia to Australasia.-Species:...
species.
Subspecies
- Hemaris croatica croatica
- Hemaris croatica fahira de Freina, 2004 (Iran)