The world of moths is an intriguing one. There are so many varieties that it can boggle the mind. Here’s one you might have heard about before, but there are some
characteristics about it that you might not know…
The death's head hawkmoth has a very distinctive pattern on its thorax that looks like a skull. But, as a moth, it likes to do something other than eat nectar from a flower. It likes to steal the honey directly from beehives! This is normally a very deadly activity for any insect that would dare
to try to enter a beehive. Beehives are guarded by bees that will kill anything that tries to do this. This moth, however, can often get past the guards and workers and pull off the heist by some very incredible means of survival!
First, it raises its body and makes a screeching sound. This has a strange calming effect first on the guard bees
and then on the workers, too. Second, the moth can also mask its presence by cloaking itself in a chemical camouflage that mimics the scent of worker bees who would normally kill any intruder that has gotten past the guards. In this way, it can pass hundreds of worker bees who don't even notice its presence! Third, this moth has a thick body and also a degree of immunity to the venom produced by bees. It can actually get several stings and still remain unharmed! The moth continues to make the
squeaking sound throughout its raid and hopefully, for it, get out before the alarm goes off.
Incredible! And we're talking about a moth! A moth who would dare to go directly to the nectar processing factory and steal the final product for itself! If this isn't another example of incredible evidence of design by the amazing Designer, in all its
facets, nothing is!
