Hawk-Moths, Family Sphingidae and Forewings Browner
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Hawk-moths, Family Sphingidae and forewings browner. Wings normally held roof-wise along the body when at rest. Distinctive medium to large moths. Power• Larva green, striped with brown. ful fliers, generally with rather narrow, Habitat More sedentary than above pointed forewings. Most larvae are large, species, living mainly in rough flowery striped, and have a 'horn' at the tail end. places where Privet occurs. Status and distributfon Local in S Convolvulus Hawk-moth Britain, widespread on the Continent. Agrilfs c()llu()lulfli Season 6-7. A strikingly large moth; wingspan up to 12cm. Forewings greyish, marbled; hind• Poplar Hawk-moth wings browner. The abdomen is striped La()th()c l)()fJlfli with red, white and black. The proboscis A medium-sized hawk-moth; wingspan up may be up to 13cm long! to 90mm. Wings greyish to pinkish-brown, Habitat A migrant into N Europe from broadly banded, with a single white mark in the Mediterranean area, which may occur the centre of the forewings. Hindwings wherever there are flowers, especially Petu• orange-red at base, usually concealed, and nia and Nicotiana. Breeds on Convolvulus, but show in front of forewings at rest. Larvae only rarely does so in N Europe. green with yellow stripes. Status and distribution Very variable in Habitat A variety of habitats, associated numbers, regularly reaching S England, but with Sallow, Poplar and Aspen. not necessarily going further. Status and distribution Widely distrib• Season 6-9. uted and moderately common throughout the region. Death's Head Hawk-Moth Season 5-9. Achcrontia atrofJos Similar species An extraordinary insect, unlike anything Pine Hawk-moth Hyloicus pinostri is also else. Wingspan up to 13cm, and body very greyish-brown, but lacks the orange on the broad. Wings beautifully marbled brown, underwings. Occurs in association with yellow and black when fresh; skull-like pine, and often rests on trunks by day. ('death's head') pattern on the thorax, and Widespread but local. abdomen boldly striped. Proboscis rela• tively short, and this is one of the few hawk• lime Hawk-moth moths that settles to feed. Larva large, Mimas tiliae variable in colour, green or yellow, with Wingspan in the range 70-80mm. Fore• bold diagonal stripes. wings beautifully marbled, with a ground Habitat Very mobile, occurring almost colour varying from pink to green or anywhere. brown. Adults do not feed. Larvae green Status and distribution A migrant from with fine yellow stripes. S Europe, arriving in small, but variable, Habitat In light woodland, parks and numbers. gardens, associated with limes, elms and a Season 6-10. variety of other trees; not an especially mobile species. Privet Hawk-moth Status and distribution Southern and Sphinx ligustri local in the UK; more widespread on the Resembles Convolvulus Hawk, but smaller, Continent. with hindwings banded pink and brown, Season 5-7. 170 LEPIDOPTERA Eyed Hawk-moth Status and distribution Widespread, Smerinthus ocellata occurring virtually throughout, but highly Wingspan a0--9Smm. Forewings brownish, variable in numbers. marbled, rather like Poplar, but the hind• Season 6-10 (though odd individuals may wings are quite different - orange-red, with occur at almost any time). a large 'peacock eye' on each, which may be flashed if the insect is threatened. Larva Large Elephant Hawk-moth green with yellow stripes. Deilephila elpenor Habitat Woodland, parks and gardens, An attractive and distinctive species, with a associated with Apple and willows. wingspan of 60--70mm. Forewings striped Status and distribution Widespread in brown and pink, hindwings half pink, half England and Wales, rare further north. brown. Larvae are impressive, large, grey• Generally distributed on the Continent. ish, with a snout like an elephant's trunk, Season S-9. and large 'eye-spots'. Habitat Rough grassland, waste ground Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth and gardens. Larvae feed on willowherbs, Hemaris tityus bedstraws, and sometimes Clarkia or Fuchsia. A bumble bee-like insect, with a wingspan Status and distribution Widespread of about 4Smm. Wings clear, except for and moderately common. •• narrow brownish border. Flies by day, and Season S-7. visits flowers of Bugle, Rhododendron, and Similar species others. Small Elephant Hawk-moth D. porce/• Habitat Woodland clearings, damp acid Ius has a wingspan of 4S-SSmm, and is gen• pastures, where Oevil's Bit Scabious grows. erally yellower in appearance; hindwing Status and distribution Widespread yellow edged with pink: Larva smaller, throughout, but not common. browner, lacking horn at tail end; feeds Season S-{,. mainly on bedstraws. Widespread but Similar species local. Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth H. fuciformis is slightly larger, and has broader Spurge Hawk-moth brown margins to the wings. Widespread Hyles euphorbiae but local in woodland clearings and rides; Similar in size and shape to Large Elephant, larvae feed mainly on Honeysuckle. but with brown and pink forewings, and pink hindwings. Hummingbird Hawk-moth Habitat Larvae feed on spurge; adults are Macroglossum stellatarum highly mobile and may turn up anywhere. An appropriately named and unmistakable Status and distribution A S European moth which darts from flower to flower, species which moves northwards irregu• feeding as it hovers. Wingspan S0-60mm, larly. Rare vagrant to UK. underwings yellow. Day-flying, visiting Red Season S-9. Valerian, Honeysuckle, Petunia and other Similar species nectar-rich flowers. Bedstraw Hawk-moth H. gallii looks Habitat Entirely migrant in this area, and very similar, but has bolder brown front may occur wherever there are suitable margin to the wings, and less pink on the flowers. Often seen near the top of sunny hindwings. A mobile species, moving north• old walls. wards in some years. Very rare UK visitor. 172 LEPIDOPTERA Prominents, Family Iron Prominent Notodontidae Notodollta dromedarius A greyish-brown moth, with a wingspan of So called because of a tuft of hairs on the 45-50mm. There are rust-co loured hindwing which projects when the moth is patches on the forewings. As in other at rest. prominents, there is a tuft of scales on the back. The larva is more exceptional: green, Buff-tip with several narrow humps on its back. Pha/cra /J//cepha/a Habitat Lightly wooded areas, where A remarkable moth, with a well-developed Birches and alders occur. and unusual camouflage pattern (see p.27). Status and distribution Widespread Wingspan 55-65mm. Wings greyish, like and reasonably common throughout. Birch bark, tipped with yellow hairs, and Season 5-9. with a yellow thorax - the overall effect can be very like a broken Birch twig. Larvae dis• Swallow Prominent tinctive, with longitudinal yeliow, black and Phcosia trell/u/a white stripes. An attractive moth, with a wingspan of Habitat Woods, heaths and lightly treed 50-60mm. Wings longitudinally striped; sites, where Sallow, Poplar and Birch occur. dark brown towards the body, paler in the Status and distribution Widespread centre, and darker along the margins. and common throughout. Habitat Various habitats; larvae feed on Season 6-8. Aspen, poplars and willows. Similar species Status and distribution Widespread Nothing looks quite similar. and common throughout. Chocolate-tip C/ostera curtu/a has a similar Season 5--B. colouring pattern, with dark brown wing• Similar species tips and a brown head. Wooded areas, Lesser Swallow Prominent P. gnoma is widespread but mainly southern in UK. similar in pattern, but smaller, with more white on the wing, and a white triangle near Puss Moth the hind margin of the forewing. Similar Cerura uillu/a habitats and distribution. Feeds on Birch. A very attractive moth; wingspan 65• BOmm.The overall impression is of a white Coxcomb Prominent 'fluffy' moth; the abdomen is white, with l'ti/odoll capucilla about 10 black dots, and the wings are pale Wingspan 40--50mm. A marbled brownish greyish-white with darker lines; male anten• moth, made distinctive by the especially nae feathered. The larvae are extraordi• prominent 'hump', the scalloped margins to nary, as shown in the photograph opposite. the forewings, and the hairy crest. Habitat A variety of habitats, where wil• Habitat Woodland, hedges and scrub. lows occur - woods, fens, dunes and other Larvae feed on various broad leaved trees. sites. Status and distribution Widespread Status and distribution Widespread throughout, generally the commonest and quite common. Prominent. Season 4-7. Season 5-9. Similar species Similar species Leopard Moth Zeuzera pyrina (see p.152) Maple Prominent Pti/odontella cucullina is is rather similar, but wings are more dot• very similar in shape, but this species has ted, and there are 6 large dark dots on the large pale patches on the wing-tips. Similar thorax. habitats, but more local. 174 LEPIDOPTERA Pale Prominent Vapourer Moth Pterostoma palpina Orgyia antiqua A curious-looking moth, with long projec• A fascinating moth, of which all stages may tions in front of the head. Wingspan be noticed. Males are orangey-brown, with 45-60mm, with a long body; wings greyish, a white spot on each forewing; wingspan marbled with brown and white - well cam• 35--40mm. Females are wingless and dark. ouflaged when at rest. She remains on her empty cocoon, where Habitat Open woods and scrub. a male will find her, and she lays a batch of Status and distribution Widespread large conspicuous eggs all over it (see throughout, and generally common. photo). The larvae are very distinctive, with Season 5-8. colourful tufts of hairs. Habitat All kinds of habitats, wherever Great Prominent there are trees and shrubs. Peridea anceps Status and distribution Widespread Rather similar to Pale Prominent, though and common throughout. larger (up to 65mm wingspan), generally Season 6-10. darker in colour, and lacking the prominent Similar species duckbill-like snout. The hindwings (usually Scarce Vapourer O. recens is very similar, hidden at rest) are very pale greyish.