Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
Keywords:
Oleander hawk-moth, faunistics, migration, Portugal, Spain, Nerium oleander
Abstract
The Oleander Hawk-Moth Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) is a strongly migratory sphingid whose occurrence in western Europe is typically sporadic. We report the first confirmed records of the species in Portugal, based on isolated adult observations and the discovery of larvae and pupae on Nerium oleander, and improve on what is known in Spain. Additional adult records from 2014 and 2024 demonstrate repeated but irregular occurrence across the region. We discuss the recent findings within a broader European context and in relation to long-standing assumptions on the species’ migratory origin, using records from 2014 onwards in both Spain and Portugal. Although local establishment cannot currently be confirmed, this may change under increasingly favourable climatic conditions.
References
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Pardo de Santayana Sanz, J. M. & Pardo de Santayana Trueba, G. 2019. Nuevo registro de Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) para la Península Ibérica (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Arquivos Entomolóxicos, 21, 145–146.
Pittaway, A. R. 2025. Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic. https://tpittaway.tripod.com/sphinx/list.htm (accessed 11 February 2026).
Ramos-Gutiérrez, I., Lima, H., Pajarón, S., Romero-Zarco, C., Sáez, L., Pataro, L., Molina-Venegas, R., Rodríguez, M. & Moreno-Saiz, J. C. 2021. Atlas of the vascular flora of the Iberian Peninsula biodiversity hotspot (AFLIBER). Global Ecology and Biogeography, 30, 1951–1957. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13363
Trusch, R. 2016. Aktuelle Funde des Oleanderschwärmers Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) in Baden-Württemberg (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Carolinea, 74, 123–128.
Truyols-Henares, F., Canyelles, X., Febrer-Serra, M., Perelló, E. & Pinya, S. 2019. First records of the oleander hawkmoth Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Balearic Islands, Spain (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología, 47, 25–28. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.742
Varea de Luque, A. 1945. Algunas mariposas viajeras. Graellsia, 3 (3), 97–108.
Vieira, V. 1997. Lepidoptera of the Azores Islands. Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal, 49, 5–76.
Warnecke, G. 1928. Der Oleanderschwärmer (Daphnis nerii L.) in Mitteleuropa. Entomologisches Jahrbuch (Krancher), 37, 142–148.
Wilson, R. J., Gutiérrez, D., Gutiérrez, J., Martínez, D., Agudo, R. & Monserrat, V. J. 2007. Changes to the elevational limits and extent of species ranges associated with climate change. Ecology Letters, 10, 113–124.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00824.x
Battisti, A., Stastny, M., Netherer, S., Robinet, C., Schopf, A., Roques, A. & Larsson, S. 2005. Expansion of geographic range in the pine processionary moth caused by increased winter temperatures. Ecological Applications, 15, 2084–2096. https://doi.org/10.1890/04-1903
Corley, M. F. V. 2015. Lepidoptera of Continental Portugal: A fully revised list. Faringdon, 288 pp.
Correia, M. J., Carapeto, A., Porto, M., Clamote, F., Frade, D., Tavares, J. T., Pereira, P., Schwarzer, U. et al. 2026. Nerium oleander L. – mapa de distribuição. Flora-On: Flora de Portugal Interactiva. Sociedade Portuguesa de Botânica. http://www.flora-on.pt.(accessed 11 February 2026)
Danner, F., Eitschberger, U. & Surholt, B. 1998. Die Schwärmer der westlichen Palaearktis. 368 pp.
Gaona Ríos, J. M. & Tirado, J. M. 2024. Primer registro confirmado de Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) en el Campo de Gibraltar (Cádiz, España). Boletín de la Sociedad Andaluza de Entomología, 34, 94–96.
García de Viedma, M. & Gómez-Bustillo, M. R. 1976. Libro rojo de los lepidópteros ibéricos. ICONA, Madrid, 117 pp.
García de Viedma, M. & Gómez-Bustillo, M. R. 1985. Revisión del libro rojo de los lepidópteros ibéricos. Serie Monografías 42. ICONA, Madrid, 71 pp.
Gielen, P. 1988. De migratie van Hyles livornica Esper in april 1985 (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Phegea, 16, 1–9.
Gómez de Aizpúrua, C. 1986. Biología y morfología de las orugas. Lepidoptera. Tomo 2: Cossidae – Sphingidae – Thaumetopoeidae – Lymantriidae – Arctiidae. 240 pp.
Gonella Gómez, R. & Moreno-Benítez, J. M. 2026. Irrupción de Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) en la provincia de Málaga (Andalucía, España). Boletín de la Sociedad Andaluza de Entomología, 36, 0–3.
Grundy, D., Ortiz, A. S., Vargas-Rodríguez, S. M. & Yela, J. L. 2024. Coming in from the heat: Tytroca dispar (Püngeler, 1903), another species of moth new to Europe (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Erebinae). Revista Gaditana de Entomología, 15, 149–165.
Guzmán, E. 2018. Migració de Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sphingidae) a Catalunya. Butlletí de la Societat Catalana de Lepidopterologia, 109, 101–103.
Händel, J. 2017. Sphingidae 2016. Atalanta, 48, 80–90.
Händel, J. 2019. Sphingidae 2018. Atalanta, 50, 76–82.
Haris, A., Józan, Z., Schmidt, P., Glemba, G., Tomozii, B., Csóka, G., Hirka, A., Sima, P. & Tóth, S. 2025. Climate change influences on Central European insect fauna over the last 50 years: Mediterranean influx and non-native species. Ecologies, 6(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies6010016
Hill, J. K., Thomas, C. D. & Huntley, B. 2001. Climate and habitat availability determine 20th century changes in a butterfly’s range margin. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 268, 1197–1206. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1999.0763
iNaturalist community. 2026. Observations of Daphnis nerii from Spain observed until 2026. https://www.inaturalist.org. (accessed 13 January 2026).
Jailloux, A. & Haxaire, J. 2025. 2024, une année exceptionnelle pour Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) et Hippotion celerio (Linnaeus, 1758) en France hexagonale et en Belgique (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Oreina, 69, 12–28.
Knapp, S., Banham, R., Grundy, D., Ortiz, A. S. & Yela, J. L. 2023. Eublemma baccatrix Hacker, 2019 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Boletobiinae: Eublemmini): recurrent immigrant or rapidly expanding species throughout the Iberian south area? Arquivos Entomolóxicos, 27, 113–118.
Leraut, P. 2006. Moths of Europe. Volume 1: Sphingidae. NAP Editions, Verrières-le-Buisson, 197 pp.
Marabuto, E. 2006. The occurrence of a neotropical hawkmoth in southern Portugal: Agrius cingulatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 38, 163–166.
Monasterio León, Y., Iglesias Baquero, A. & Jiménez, R. E. 2018. Cinco nuevas observaciones de Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) en España (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 63, 295–296.
Montagud Alario, S. & Engra, M. Á. 2017. Nuevo registro de Daphnis nerii en la Península Ibérica (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 60, 369–371.
Observation.org 2026. Observation International and local partners. https://observation.org (accessed 18 February 2026).
Parmesan, C., Ryrholm, N., Stefanescu, C., Hill, J. K., Thomas, C. D., Descimon, H., Huntley, B., Kaila, L., Kullberg, J., Tammaru, T., Tennent, W. J., Thomas, J. A. & Warren, M. 1999. Poleward shifts in geographical ranges of butterfly species associated with regional warming. Nature, 399, 579–583. https://doi.org/10.1038/21181
Pardo de Santayana Sanz, J. M. & Pardo de Santayana Trueba, G. 2019. Nuevo registro de Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) para la Península Ibérica (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Arquivos Entomolóxicos, 21, 145–146.
Pittaway, A. R. 2025. Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic. https://tpittaway.tripod.com/sphinx/list.htm (accessed 11 February 2026).
Ramos-Gutiérrez, I., Lima, H., Pajarón, S., Romero-Zarco, C., Sáez, L., Pataro, L., Molina-Venegas, R., Rodríguez, M. & Moreno-Saiz, J. C. 2021. Atlas of the vascular flora of the Iberian Peninsula biodiversity hotspot (AFLIBER). Global Ecology and Biogeography, 30, 1951–1957. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13363
Trusch, R. 2016. Aktuelle Funde des Oleanderschwärmers Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) in Baden-Württemberg (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Carolinea, 74, 123–128.
Truyols-Henares, F., Canyelles, X., Febrer-Serra, M., Perelló, E. & Pinya, S. 2019. First records of the oleander hawkmoth Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Balearic Islands, Spain (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología, 47, 25–28. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.742
Varea de Luque, A. 1945. Algunas mariposas viajeras. Graellsia, 3 (3), 97–108.
Vieira, V. 1997. Lepidoptera of the Azores Islands. Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal, 49, 5–76.
Warnecke, G. 1928. Der Oleanderschwärmer (Daphnis nerii L.) in Mitteleuropa. Entomologisches Jahrbuch (Krancher), 37, 142–148.
Wilson, R. J., Gutiérrez, D., Gutiérrez, J., Martínez, D., Agudo, R. & Monserrat, V. J. 2007. Changes to the elevational limits and extent of species ranges associated with climate change. Ecology Letters, 10, 113–124.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2005.00824.x
Published
2026-03-11
How to Cite
Korneyev, V., & Marabuto, E. (2026). Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range. Zoodiversity, 60(1). Retrieved from https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/934
Section
Entomology
