11 January 2025
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Olivia Watts from the Field Studies Council explains some of these magnificent moths you can see in May
hummingbird moth are a group of louse that are commonly encountered in garden across the UK . They have learn their name from their telling sizing and their ability to channelise well in flight . The adults have spectacular colours and the Caterpillar have evolved impressive tactics to deter marauder . With the warmer weather , May is a great time of year to see many of these moths in flight of stairs , including the calcium hydrate hawk - moth , poplar war hawk - moth and elephant hawk - moth .
Elephant mortarboard - moth
The elephant hawk - moth ( Deilephila elpenor ) is a medium - sized moth , adorned with pink and olive - dark-green tones . Keep an eye out at fall on milder nights between May and early August for a chance to spot this beautiful pinkish moth as it flit through the sky in search of nectar from tubular bloom like meeting house and fuchsia .
It is find throughout the UK in various home ground include garden , parks , woodlands , and meadows , and is easily recognizable by its sizing as it has a wingspan up to 6 cm ( 2.5 in ) wingspread and vibrant colours .
While alike in appearance , it ’s worth taking tone of a like species , the pocket-size elephant hawk - moth ( Deilephila porcellus ) . Although the two may look very similar , they are in fact dissimilar species . The small elephant hawk - moth has dissimilar patterns on its wing and , you belike suppose it , it ’s smaller than the regular elephantHawkmoth .
If in doubt about identification , snapping a exposure from above and compare it to reference images and wildlife guides can offer clarity .
Small elephant hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus)
Caterpillar
Like all moths , hawk moth have a four - stage life-time cycle , starting as an egg , hatching into a caterpillar ( where they pass heaps of clip eating and arise ) , before pupating and emerging as an adult moth .
If you have n’t seen the adult elephant mortarboard - moth before , you may have encounter it in an earlier life stage . Typically , sightings of the distinctive caterpillars acme in August and early September , when they ’ve reached a substantial size of around 8 curium ( 4 in ) in length . They can vary in colour from light to sorry dark-brown and have a tree trunk - like visual aspect , hence their name . You may also find lustrous greenish forms of this caterpillar , but they are less common .
Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar with its distinctive eyespots.
Caterpillar , being vulnerable , rely on camouflage and mimicry as defence mechanism . The elephant hawk - moth showcases particularly striking mimicry marking , with the ‘ ocellus ’ near its head . When threatened , these caterpillars raise their pass to exhibit these markings , deterring potential vulture from making a meal out of them .
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How many hawk - moth species are there in the UK ?
A. In the UK we have nine nonmigratory species and nine summertime migrants . Resident species are those that finish their full life cycle in the UK , whereas summer migrant undergo part of their lifecycle elsewhere .
Q. What do elephant hawk - moth caterpillars feed on ?
A. Typically they feed on rosebay willowherb ( and other willowherbs ) , fuchsias , bedstraw and enchanter ’s nightshade .
Q. What welfare do they provide to gardener ?
A. Moths are often misunderstood , but they are extremely worthful to nurseryman . Under the cover of darkness , moth are busy pollenate your plants . late research intimate that moths may be more efficient at pollination than bee – so encouraging both daylight - fly and night - flying pollinators is large for your garden .
concerned to find out more about moth ?
you’re able to determine out more about these bewitching insects with pathfinder and track provide by the Field Studies Council : www.field - studies - council.org
