Narrow-bordered Bee hawkmoth

Hemaris tityus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Distribution: A West-Eurasian species with a range from Western Europe to Western Siberia and northeastern China, locally distributed in Ukraine.

Bionomics: These xero-mesophilic meadow species prefer dry and moderately moist herbaceous meadows, forest edges, and meadow steppes. They are active during the day, feeding on nectar from blue and purple flowers, such as Ajuga, Glechoma, Salvia, and others. Females lay eggs on the leaves of caterpillar food plants like Succisa pratensis and Knautia arvensis. Caterpillars feed at night and pupate in a liquid cocoon in the soil.

Abundance and Conservation: Vulnerable, local, and not numerous in localities, this species is disappearing due to habitat reduction caused by land use changes. It is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine (2021) as “rare.”