Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range

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 olea...

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Date:2026
Main Authors: Korneyev, Valery, Marabuto, Eduardo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Publishing House "Akademperiodyka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2026
Online Access:https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/934
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Journal Title:Zoodiversity

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Zoodiversity
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author Korneyev, Valery
Marabuto, Eduardo
author_facet Korneyev, Valery
Marabuto, Eduardo
author_sort Korneyev, Valery
baseUrl_str
collection OJS
datestamp_date 2026-03-11T09:50:15Z
description 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.
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spelling oai:ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua:article-9342026-03-11T09:50:15Z Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range Korneyev, Valery Marabuto, Eduardo Oleander hawk-moth faunistics migration Portugal Spain Nerium oleander 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. Publishing House "Akademperiodyka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2026-03-11 Article Article https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/934 Zoodiversity; Vol. 60 No. 1 (2026): Zoodiversity Zoodiversity (Vestnik Zoologii); Том 60 № 1 (2026): Zoodiversity 2707-7268 2707-725X 10.15407/zoo2026.01 en Copyright (c) 2026 Valery Korneyev; Eduardo Marabuto
spellingShingle Korneyev, Valery
Marabuto, Eduardo
Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
title Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
title_full Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
title_fullStr Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
title_full_unstemmed Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
title_short Breaking western limits: Repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth Daphnis nerii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) into the Iberian Peninsula extend its documented European range
title_sort breaking western limits: repeated occurrences of the oleander hawk-moth daphnis nerii (lepidoptera: sphingidae) into the iberian peninsula extend its documented european range
topic_facet Oleander hawk-moth
faunistics
migration
Portugal
Spain
Nerium oleander
url https://ojs.akademperiodyka.org.ua/index.php/Zoodiversity/article/view/934
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