Trivia question for Jan-17-2011

Today’s is Carter’s turn and he decided to pick something from the Invertebrates category.  To make it a little easier, we have included pictures from this insects caterpillar form, as well as it’s adult form, so here goes:

Can you identify this insect and tell us how it is able to live among bees, eating their honey without being driven away?  Here’s a hint – It’s name comes from the peculiar makings on it’s thorax.

Good Luck 

Answer:

Okay everyone, this was obviously a little harder than we thought it would be. The insect featured is a Death’s-head Hawkmoth (one of the largest insects in Europe) and it can live among the bees because it has learned how to emulate the sound of the queen bee.

This moth gets it’s name from the peculiar markings on it’s thorax which resemble a skull-head or as the natives thought, an image of Death.

Here is more information:  Death’s-head Hawkmoth

Thanks for playing along