First record of Deaths Head Hawkmoth Acherontia atropos (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), A Kleptoparasite of Honey Bees from Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

Authors

  • Muhammad Adnan Bodlah Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Muhammad Majid Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Ayesha Younas Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Alishbah Mohsin Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Aleena Kanwal Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Imran Bodlah Department of Entomology, PMAS, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
  • Yasir Niaz Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Muhammad Sajid Qureshi Center for Insect Farming and Entomological Entrepreneurship (CIFEE), Department of Agricultural Engineering, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab
  • Muhammad Tariq Rasheed Department of Entomology, PMAS, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55627/agrivet.004.01.0772

Keywords:

Deaths Head Hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos), Apis mellifera, New Record, Kleptoparasitic Behavior

Abstract

The Death's Head Hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) is a remarkable species belonging to the family Sphingidae, known for its unique mimicry of a skull-like pattern on its thorax. This study presents the first documented record of Acherontia atropos in the role of a kleptoparasite preying upon honey bees in the Rahim Yar Khan, southern most district of Punjab, Pakistan. The findings shed light on the interactions between this enigmatic moth species and the honey bee colonies, highlighting potential implications for both the local ecosystem and apicultural practices.

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Published

2025-03-01

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): J. Agric. Vet. Sci.

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Adnan Bodlah, Muhammad Majid, Ayesha Younas, Alishbah Mohsin, Aleena Kanwal, Imran Bodlah, Yasir Niaz, Muhammad Sajid Qureshi, Muhammad Tariq Rasheed

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

First record of Deaths Head Hawkmoth Acherontia atropos (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), A Kleptoparasite of Honey Bees from Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan (M. A. Bodlah, M. . Majid, A. . Younas, A. . Mohsin, A. . Kanwal, I. . Bodlah, Y. . Niaz, M. S. . Qureshi, & M. T. . Rasheed, Trans.). (2025). Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science, 4(1), 15-20. https://doi.org/10.55627/agrivet.004.01.0772

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