Moth Survey 1976-2016
Spurge Hawkmoth
Wingspan f 55mm
Migrant visitor from the continent during summer - now rare. In the above case, it is an illegal, hitching a ride as a pupae, derived from first brood caterpillars found in the red soil of a roadside verge in Provence during mid June - the imago emerging some weeks later from its new home in Kent.
Habit: flies very swiftly, both night and day.
Double brooded: Over winters as a pupae, but larvae can pupate rapidly to produce moths in May, giving rise to a second generation in late summer, who's larvae pupate for the following winter.
Larval foodplant: Spurge
Status: RARE IN THE UK
Emergence times for moths and butterflies is a simple climate change monitor that you can be involved in. Please email your records and images to me and they will be considered for inclusion in the butterfly survey. This is open to individuals or teachers and schools. Click here or email info@nature-photo.co.uk
© Rodney Compton