Deilephila elpenor - Elephant Hawk-moth

Phylum: Arthropoda - Class: Insecta - Order: Lepidoptera - Family: Sphingidae

This strikingly colourful moth is quite a common sight in flowery parks and gardens at dusk.

Description

The Elephant Hawk-moth is and a medium-sized moth with a wingspan of 4.5 to 6 cm. It is mostly a golden-olive colour with bright pink stripes on its wings and along its body.

The common name is a reference to the caterpillars (larvae) of this moth species. They are brown with often a greenish tinge and somewhat reminiscent of an elephant's trunk.

The caterpillars of the Elephant Hawk-moth are 8 to 6.5 cm long and not at all difficult to spot when they are feeding.

The large 'eye 'patterns on the caterpillar's head are thought to serve to deter predators..

Distribution

Deilephila elpenor, the Elephant Hawk-moth, is widely distributed in the UK and Ireland, although it is more scarce in the north of Scotland.

Lifecycle

The larval foodplants of this moth include Rosebay Wllowherb as well as various bedstraws (Galium species). In gardens the larvae are often found feeding on the leaves of fuschias.

Adult Elephant Hawk-moths can seen on the wing in Britain and Ireland between May and August, when they take nectar from tubular flowers such as Honeysuckle. The caterpillars feed from July to September before overwinter as pupae (chrysalides) until the following spring.

Acknowledgements

This page includes pictures kindly contributed by Rob Petley-Jones.

Studying butterflies and moths...