According to a January 29 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study by University of Konstanz researchers, hummingbird hawk moths use their gaze to regulate their proboscis to suck nectar from blossoms.
A statement by the researchers describes the function: "The moth uses its proboscis to suck nectar by inserting it through a tiny opening into the floral nectaries, seemingly effortlessly and in a matter of seconds."
The researchers conducted sophisticated behavioral experiments using high-speed cameras to record hummingbird hawk moths approaching artificial flowers.
Scientists further found that moths can only move their noses forward and backward by a short distance, about one and a half centimeters, but they have difficulty moving sideways.
Stöckl explained: "It's very similar to our fingers, which, apart from the thumb, we can mainly move forwards and backward.
"To complete this task, the insects have only a tiny fraction of the processing capacity of our human nervous system," added Stöckl.
"And that is not all! These small brains and their efficient way of working are also great models for applied research, for example, in robotics. We can learn a lot from hummingbird hawk moths."