What is Death's-head hawkmoth?
{{Taxobox | name = Death's-head hawkmoth | image = Acherontia lachesis MHNT Female Nîlgîri (Tamil Nadu) Dorsal.jpg | image_caption = ''[[Acherontia lachesis]]'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Arthropod]]a | classis = [[Insect]]a | ordo = [[Lepidoptera]] | familia = [[Sphingidae]] | subfamilia = [[Sphinginae]] | genus = '''''Acherontia''''' | subdivision_ranks = [[species]] | subdivision = ''[[Acherontia atropos|A. atropos]]''<br /> ''[[Acherontia styx|A. styx]]''<br /> ''[[Acherontia lachesis|A. lachesis]]''}} A '''Death's-head hawkmoth''' may be one of three [[species|types]] of [[moth]]. The (''[[Acherontia atropos|A. atropos]]'', ''[[Acherontia styx|A. styx]]'' and ''[[Acherontia lachesis|A. lachesis]]''), and are in the genus '''''Acherontia'''''. The most common usage of the name is for the [[Europe]]n species. ''A. atropos'' are usually in [[Europe]], but ''A. styx'' and ''A. lachesis'' live in [[Asia]]. The name comes from [[skull]]-shaped pattern of markings on the [[thorax]]. All three species are about the same in size, coloration, and life cycle. These moths have many unusual features. All three species can make a loud squeak if irritated. The sound is made by moving air from the [[pharynx]], often along with the flashing of the brightly-colored [[abdomen]] in a further attempt to deter [[predators]]. All three species raid [[beehives]] of different species of [[honey bee]] for honey, but ''A. atropos'' only attacks [[colonies]] of the well-known [[western honey bee]], ''Apis mellifera''. They are able to move about in hives unhurt because they [[mimic]] the scent of the bees.<ref>Moritz, RFA, WH Kirchner and RM Crewe. 1991. Chemical camouflage of the death's head hawkmoth (''Acherontia atropos'' L.) in honeybee colonies. ''Naturwissenschaften'' '''78''' (4): 179-182.</ref> == Development == Eggs are laid one by one under old leaves of the [[hostplant]], and are green or grey-blue. None of the three species are forced to use a single family of host plant. Many of the types of plants used are