The incredible hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum), and other insects of the Lepidoptera order, continue to amaze entomologists.1,2 The hawkmoth has recently been studied in order to learn more about the sensory information used to control its long proboscis, a tubular protrusion that can be inserted into flowers like the beak and tongue of the hummingbird.
As scientists watched the insect feed from tube-shaped flowers, they were struck by the hawkmoth’s ability to fine-tune the probing movements of this tiny structure. When the moth approached a flower, it was able to judge the distance between itself and the target feeding area and shift the proboscis accordingly. Previously, however, only creatures with larger brains were known to perform such a feat.3 Indeed, the study’s authors further stated, “Invertebrates, with their numerically smaller central nervous systems, are often considered incapable of this level of visuomotor control.”4
The scientists used high-speed cameras to observe and track various parts of the moth as it approached artificial flowers, searching for nectar. They could then determine, with high temporal resolution, the exact positions of the moth’s head, body, and proboscis. The insect maintained its position in flight while subtly moving the proboscis to aim accurately for the flower pattern. The pinpoint capability of the hawkmoth was jaw-dropping. Anna Stöckl, a biologist at the University of Konstanz, compared it to “trying to hit the opening of a drink can with a two meters long straw in your mouth.”3
There is nothing simple about such efficient aim. Stöckl explained the complexity by likening the hawkmoth’s movements to a human’s fingers. Like the hawkmoth’s proboscis, they move primarily forward and backward but with the added motion of the hand can perform finely controlled movements, such as those needed to play piano.3
The discoveries became more amazing as the scientists continued investigating. They found that, also like people, the moth required continuous visual information to move the proboscis with precision. When the hawkmoth’s eyes were covered, the creature had to scan randomly because it couldn’t see the flower pattern. This necessary visual feedback requires a level of complexity that one would not expect from an insect with only about a million nerve cells (larger organisms have tens or hundreds of millions).3 And yet, the Lord Jesus designed them with an amazing processing capacity.
Finally, because the hummingbird hawkmoth has design features like the hummingbird, evolutionists cite it as an example of convergent evolution.5 But as one non-creationist said, “Invoking convergent evolution negates the very logic of the argument from homology, which affirms that similarity implies common ancestry, except—we now learn—in those many, many cases when it does not.”6
God created the hummingbird hawkmoth complete and fully formed thousands of years ago. The sensory information gleaned from its precise and detailed movements is a testament to the Creator’s organization and design.
References
- Sherwin, F. Butterflies Can Remember. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org August 24, 2023.
- Sherwin, F. Insect Eyes Reflect Creation. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org February 5, 2026.
- University of Konstanz. Scientists Investigate the Sensory Information Hummingbird Hawk Moths Rely on to Control Their Proboscis. Phys.org. Posted on phys.org January 29, 2024.
- Kannegieser, S. et al. 2024. Visual Guidance Fine-Tunes Probing Movements of an Insect Appendage. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences. 121 (6).
- Guliuzza, R. J. 2017. Convergent Evolution Is a Seductive Intellectual Swindle. Acts & Facts. 46 (3): 17–19.
- Meyer, S. C. 2013. Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design. New York, NY: HarperOne, 133.
* Dr. Sherwin is a science news writer at the Institute for Creation Research. He earned an M.A. in invertebrate zoology from the University of Northern Colorado and received an honorary doctorate of science from Pensacola Christian College.
