Greater Spurge hawkmoth

Hyles nicaea (de Prunner, 1798) 

Distribution: Range from northwestern Africa to western China. In Ukraine, found in Crimea.

Bionomics: Xerothermophilic and petrophilic steppe species found in dry, rocky mountain biotopes. Univoltine, with adults present in June–July and August–September. Active in the evening and at night, feeding on flower nectar. Caterpillars feed on milkweed. Pupation occurs in the soil.

Abundance and Conservation: Rare and listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (2021). Requires habitat preservation and population monitoring.