| Hyles nicaea | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Sphingidae |
| Genus: | Hyles |
| Species: | H. nicaea |
| Binomial name | |
| Hyles nicaea (de Prunner, 1798)[1] |
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| Synonyms | |
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The Mediterranean Hawk-moth (Hyles nicaea) is a moth of the Sphingidae family. The nominate subspecies is found from southern Portugal and Spain though southern Europe to Turkey. It is also found on the Balearic Islands and in south-western Bulgaria.
The wingspan is 80-100 mm. Adults are on wing in June in one generation. At times there is a partial second generation in August. Subspecies castissima is on wing from May to June and from July to August in two generations. Subspecies orientalis is on wing from June to July in one generation. Subspecies sheljuzkoi is on wing in May and July/August in two to three generations.
The larvae feed on Euphorbia species, including Euphorbia nicaeensis. Subspecies orientalis feeds on Euphorbia petrophila and Euphorbia seguieriana and sheljuzkoi has been recorded on Euphorbia oxydonta in Jordan.