Philippe Clement / Large white butterfly (Pieris brassicae) and Hummingbird hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) in flight, nectaring from Buddleia (Buddleja davidii) flower, Pyrenees, France, Sepetember.

Eladio Fernandez / Tobacco hornworm caterpillar (Manduca sexta) Cuba.

Robert Thompson / Tobacco hornworm moth (Manduca sexta) caterpillar on stem. Arizona, USA. July.

Robert Thompson / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on stem. Captive, larvae collected previous year. Downings, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. May.

Robert Thompson / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on stem. Captive, larvae collected previous year. Downings, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. May.

Robert Thompson / Privet hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) caterpillar on stem, Abbots Leigh, Somerset, England, UK. July.

Robert Thompson / Poplar hawk-moth (Laothoe populi), male camouflaged against bark. Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK. July.

Robert Thompson / Hissing hawk-moth (Phyllosphingia dissimilis) on stem. Kalinovka, Primorsky Krai, Far Eastern Federal District, Russia. June.

Robert Thompson / Eyed hawkmoth (Smerinthus ocellatus) on tree trunk. Captive, larvae collected previous year. Annagarriff Wood National Nature Reserve, Dungannon, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK. April.

Robert Thompson / Elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). Released from captivity, larvae collected previous year. Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK. May.

Robert Thompson / Elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) on leaf. Released from captivity, larvae collected previous year. Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK. May.

Konrad Wothe / Slow motion clip of a Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) on Red valerian (Centranthus ruber), Bavaria, Germany, June.

Konrad Wothe / Slow motion clip of a Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) nectaring from a Red valerian (Centranthus ruber) flower, Bavaria, Germany, June.

Konrad Wothe / Slow motion clip of a Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) nectaring from a Red valerian (Centranthus ruber) flower, Bavaria, Germany, June.

Ross Hoddinott / Eyed hawkmoth (Smerinthus ocellatus) resting on stone, Meeth, Devon, UK. June.

Loic Poidevin / Eyed hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellatus) on leaf, Vendee, Pays-de-la-Loire, France. April.

Konrad Wothe / Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) in flight with proboscis extended feeding on lavender, Bavaria, Germany, July.

Konrad Wothe / Elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor) caterpillar, Upper Bavaria, Germany, August.

Nick Upton / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) Wiltshire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) Wiltshire, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) on Common spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) Wiltshire, UK, May.

Brian Bevan / Small elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila porcellus) warming up on food plant , UK. Captive.

Brian Bevan / Small elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila porcellus) warming up on food plant , UK. Captive.

Robert Thompson / Oleander hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) pupa, Southern Sicily, Italy.

Robert Thompson / Oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii) male, Bang Saen, Thailand, December.

Robert Thompson / Oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii) male, Bang Saen, Thailand, December.

Robert Thompson / Privet hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) camouflaged on branch, Northern Ireland, May.

Robert Thompson / Privet hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) camouflaged, Northern Ireland, May.

Robert Thompson / Convolvus hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) caterpillar, Vercors National Park, France

Robert Thompson / Convolvulus hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) caterpillar, Vercors National Park, France, August.

David Kjaer / Elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor) on leaf, Wiltshire, England, UK, June.

Andy Sands / Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) in flight feeding with long proboscis on Lantana flower, Menorca, Spain, July

Andy Sands / Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) in flight feeding with long proboscis on Lantana flower, Menorca, Spain, July

Andy Sands / Hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) in flight feeding with long proboscis on Lantana flower, Menorca, Spain, July

Jussi Murtosaari / Broad-bordered Bee Hawk Moth (Hemaris fuciformis), feeding at Fly honeysuckle (Lonicera xylosteum), Finland, June.

Chris Mattison / Poplar hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) Catbrook, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. May.

Lorraine Bennery / Elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor) caterpillar, Vosges Balloons Regional Park, France, August.

Lorraine Bennery / Spurge hawkmoth caterpillar (Hyles euphorbiae) Spurge (Euphorbia sp.), Loiret, France, September.

Lorraine Bennery / Broad-bordered bee hawkmoth (Hemaris fuciformis) feeding, Grands Causses Regional Natural Park, France, May.

Lorraine Bennery / Poplar Hawkmoth (Laothoe populi), Grands Causses Regional Natural Park, France, May.

Lorraine Bennery / Broad-bordered bee hawkmoth (Hemaris fuciformis) feeding from flower, Grands Causses Regional Natural Park, France, May.

Lorraine Bennery / Willowherb hawkmoth (Proserpinus proserpina) on leaf, Indre-et-Loire, France, April.

Lorraine Bennery / Spurge hawkmoth caterpillar (Hyles euphorbiae) on Spurge (Euphorbia sp.) foodplant, Alpes de Haute-Provence, France, June.

Brian Bevan / Two Privet hawkmoth (Sphinx ligustri) on Privet (Ligustrum), Bedfordshire, England, UK, July. Captive.

Brian Bevan / Eyed hawkmoth (Smerinthus ocellatus), Bedfordshire, England, UK, June.

Adrian Davies / Bedstraw Hawkmoth (Hyles gallii) England, UK, May.

Robert Thompson / Striped hawkmoth (Hyles livornica) resting, Pyrenees National Park, France. June.

Robert Thompson / Spurge hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae) at rest on an old decaying tree trunk, Grand Sasso Abruzzo, Italy. May.

Robert Thompson / Spurge hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae at rest on an old decaying tree trunk, Grand Sasso Abruzzo, Italy. May.

Robert Thompson / Spurge hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae) resting, Grand Sasso Abruzzo, Italy. May.

Robert Thompson / Spurge hawkmoth (Hyles euphorbiae) at rest on an old dry stone wall, Grand Sasso Abruzzo, Italy. May.

Robert Thompson / Silver-striped hawkmoth (Hippotion celerio) resting, Grand Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain. October.

Robert Thompson / Oleander hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) caterpillar, final instar, Crete. August.

Robert Thompson / Oleander hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) caterpillar, final instar, Crete. August.

Robert Thompson / Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) resting, Southern Sicily, Italy.

Robert Thompson / Levant hawkmoth (Theretra alecto) resting, Sandia Mountains, Bernalillo, New Mexico, USA. June.

Robert Thompson / Elephant Hawkmoth (Deilephila elpenor), Brackagh Moss National Nature Reserve, Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK. May.

Robert Thompson / Sphingid moth (Dolbina tancrei) caterpillar at final instar, Japan. June.

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Striped hawkmoth (Hyles lineata) caterpillar, March, Oman

Alex Hyde / Hawk moth (Ambulyx pryeri) Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo.

Alex Hyde / Bedstraw hawk moth (Hyles gallii) caterpillar. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, July.

Alex Hyde / Bedstraw hawk moth (Hyles gallii) caterpillar. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, July.

Paul Hobson / Eyed hawk moth (Smerinthus ocellata) at rest on wall, Sheffield, England, UK, July.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Spurge hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae) caterpillar, Quirnheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, August. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Spurge hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae) caterpillar, Quirnheim, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, August. meetyourneighbours.net project

Kim Taylor / Humming-bird hawk moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) pupa. Surrey, England.

Ingo Arndt / Deaths head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) on honeycomb feeding with Honey bees (Apis mellifera) on their honey in the hive, Germany.The moth releases a soothing scent which temporarily fools the bees.

Ingo Arndt / Deaths head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) on honeycomb feeding with Honey bees (Apis mellifera) on their honey in the hive, Germany. The moth releases a soothing scent which temporarily fools the bees...

Ingo Arndt / Deaths head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) on honeycomb feeding with Honey bees (Apis mellifera) on their honey in the hive, Germany. The moth releases a soothing scent which temporarily fools the bees...

Ingo Arndt / Deaths head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) is able to steal honey from the bees unnoticed due to the fact that it releases a soothing scent which temporarily fools the bees.

Ingo Arndt / Hawkmoth {Sphingidae} on bark, Germany

Ingo Arndt / Small elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila porcellus), Austria

Ingo Arndt / Small elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila porcellus) on leaf, Austria

Ingo Arndt / Small elephant hawkmoth (Deilephila porcellus) on leaf, Austria

Ingo Arndt / Pine hawkmoth (Sphinx pinastri) on pine, Germany

Ingo Arndt / Convolvulus hawkmoth (Agrius convolvuli) camouflaged on tree trunk, Austria

Ingo Arndt / Convolvulus hawkmoth (Agrius convolvuli) camouflaged on tree trunk, Austria

Ingo Arndt / Death's head hawkmoth caterpillar in defence posture {Acherontia atropos} Germany

Ingo Arndt / Death's head hawkmoth caterpillar feeding on leaf {Acherontia atropos} Germany

Ingo Arndt / Oleander hawkmoth caterpillar showing eye spots for defense {Daphnis nerii}

Nick Hawkins / Wild cherry sphinx moth (Sphinx drupiferarum) photographed on white background. New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Waved sphinx moth (Ceratomia undulosa) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Twin-spotted sphinx (Smerinthus jamaicensis) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Modest sphinx moth (Pachysphinx modesta) photographed on white. New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Laurel sphinx moth (Sphinx kalmie) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Great ash sphinx moth (Sphinx chersis) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Elm sphinx moth (Ceratomia amyntor) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Canadian sphinx moth (Sphinx canadensis) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Nick Hawkins / Azalea sphinx moth (Darapsa choerilus) photographed on white. New Brunswick, Canada, July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Willowherb hawkmoth (Proserpinus proserpina) Podere Montecucco, Orvieto, Italy

Paul Harcourt Davies / Convolvulus hawk moth (Agrius convolvuli) Podere Montecucco, Orvieto, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Oleander hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) larva immediately before pupation. Montecucco, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy, September.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Convolvulus hawkmoth (Agrius convolvuli) close up of wings, Podere Montecucco, Orvieto, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Large elephant hawk (Deilephila elpenor) Podere Montecucco, Umbria, Italy, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Eyed hawk moth (Smerinthus ocellata) Podere Montecucco, Orvieto, Italy

Paul Harcourt Davies / Large elephant hawkmoth (Deilephilia elpenor) Podere Montecucco, Umbria, Italy, June.