Macro Moths | Hawk-moths | Micro Moths | Butterflies | Clearwings
The Hawk-moths are so-called because the adult moths have a bird-of-prey like aspect. Their larvae (caterpillars) usually have a tail spike, or horn, and so the moths are also known as hornworms. There are 1450 species in the Sphingidae taxonomic group of moths; the caterpillars rear up like a sphinx, and the moths are known as sphinx moths in some parts of the world. They include the likes of the Elephant Hawk-moth, the Death’s Head Hawk-moth, and the Hummingbird Hawk-moth.
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Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli)
Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) - NFM 26 Aug 2022. This is something of a mega, rare migrant species not commonly seen anywhere in the UK but for the South-west coast of England -
Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus)
Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) - 7 June 2019, wet night, 9 Celsius. This species is a lot smaller than its cousin. NFY Sphingidae -
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri)
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) - 26 May 2020 NFY, 11 days earlier than 2019 -
Pine Hawk-moth Sphinx pinastri)
Pine Hawk-moth Sphinx pinastri) - 19 May 2020, NFM -
Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)
Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae) - 3 May 2020, NFY. Two weeks early -
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) - 22 Sep 2019 Male and female in copulo, Kythira, Greece -
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) - 18 Sep 2019 Garden on red valerian, Cottenham. First time seen one here. Subsequently saw dozens of these on Kythira -
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) - 2 Aug 2019 Only HM to turn up recently, got a nice shot of the colour of the hindwings. -
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) - 16 Jul 2019. Wings slightly spread to show "underwing" -
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri)
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) - 17 Jun 2019 Sphingidae -
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) - 21 Jun 2019. Always a treat to see an EHM. I should tag the specimens to see whether they are being retrapped, I hope not, but this could be one of the specimens that arrived two or three days ago. Sphingidae -
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) - 25 Jun 2019, second one this year, along with another Eyed, two Privets, seven Elephants, and a Small Elephant. Quite a haul of Sphingidae -
Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)
Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae) - 17 May 2019, in the trap, night. NFM Sphingidae -
Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata)
Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata) - 31 May 2019 NFM. Better photo from later in the day with both "eyes" visible. Sphingidae -
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Four Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) and one Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae) - 19 Jun 2019. After balmy but drizzly night. Sphingidae -
Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus)
Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) - 10 June 2019, wet night. This species is a lot smaller than its cousin. NFM Sphingidae -
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri)
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) - 6 June 2019. One of a pair in the trip, NFY. Photographed previously in Wilkin Walk, Cottenham. Sphingidae -
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) - 2 Jun 2019, NFY Sphingidae -
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) - Trapped overnight 7 Aug 2018. My favourite moth of the summer, learned only recently that they favour fuchsia bushes to some degree, easy to see how they'd be camouflaged among those flowers. Sphingidae -
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) - 8 August 2018, Germany, by Matt. Sphingidae » Macroglossinae -
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) - Trapped overnight 7 Aug 2018 Sphingidae -
Poplar Hawk Moth (Laothoe populi)
Poplar Hawk Moth (Laothoe populi) - 24th July 2018, Rob Ellis garden Sphingidae. It was looking at this one that sort inspired me to borrow Rob's trap, I haven't looked back since. 500 moths in 5 years of mothing by the end of summer 2023 -
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) - 30 Aug 2004, Cecina, Italy.