Bee Tiger

The clear skull markings on the thorax of the large and impressive Death's-head Hawk-moth are truly fascinating, often perceived as a threat or leading to superstitious and mythological beliefs. Here the author, an authority in mimicry, discusses why we are so intrigued by those marking but also explains how other animals may perceive its form and behaviour. This moth has evolved to deceive its main predators, especially birds and bats, and to rob bees of their honey without getting stung again by deceiving them of its true nature with acoustic, visual and chemical signals in play. It is able to do this because of the obvious but usually overlooked fact by that animals live in a different sensory world to us i.e. their perceptions are different.

• The moth was made famous by the book and film The Silence of the Lambs.

• It can be a pest of agrigultural crops and also raids bee-hives stealing the honey.

• It defends itself from predators using accoustic, visual and chemical signals which humans cannot sense.

• Our perception of it as a threat and the creatiion of superstitions is due to its sinister-looking skull markings on the thorax.

• Written by Prof. Philip Howse, an authority on insect behaviour.

• Foreword by Simon Barnes, popular natural history author and journalist.

Hardback, 160pp, colour and black & white photographs

P. Howse, Brambleby Books, June 2021

ISBN: 9781908241627