Simulations of Learning and Behaviour in the Hawkmoth Deilephila elpenor

We describe a behavioural experiment with the hawkmoth Deilephila elpenor and show how its behaviour in the experimental situation can be reproduced by a computational model. The aim of the model is to investigate what learning strategies are necessary to produce the behaviour observed in the experiment. Since very little is known about the nervous system of the animal, the model is mainly based on behavioural data and the sensitivities of its photoreceptors. The model consists of a number of interacting behaviour systems that are triggered by specific stimuli and control specific behaviours. The ability of the moth to learn the colours of different flowers and the adaptive processes involved in the choice between stimulus-approach and place-approach strategies is also modelled. The behavioural choices of the simulated model closely parallel those of the real animal. The model has implications both for the ecology of the animal and for robotic systems.