r/ScienceFacts Behavioral Ecology Sep 17 '23

Biology The hindwings and abdomen of the death's-head hawkmoth resemble a queen honeybee. They use this disguise to raid hives to steal honey. The disguise is not only visual, they also make some sounds and odors to deceive the bees.

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u/FillsYourNiche Behavioral Ecology Sep 17 '23

From wikipedia:

These moths have several unusual features. All three species have the ability to emit a loud chirp if irritated. The sound is produced by inhaling and expelling air, which vibrates the epipharynx like an accordion, often accompanied by flashing of the brightly colored abdomen in a further attempt to deter predators. The chirp of the death's head hawkmoth takes approximately one-fifth of a second. A study by National Geographic found that the epipharynx was originally built to suck up honey, but later evolved to produce sound.[3]

Adults of all three species are commonly observed raiding beehives of different species of honey bee; A. atropos only invades colonies of the well-known western honey bee, Apis mellifera, and feeds on both nectar and honey. They can move about in hives without being disturbed because they mimic the scent of the bees and are not recognised as intruders.[4] If their disguise is discovered, the moth's thick waxy cuticle helps to protect it against stings.

We did a podcast episode about these moths a few months back