The caterpillar is a dark brown-ish green, with bright yellow spots along the body and a red horn above the tail, usually only seen in years of high influxes.
The moth overwinters as a pupa, usually unsuccessfully in the UK (probably due to high rainfall).
Flight Season
Occurs in the UK from July to September.
Size and Family
- Family - Hawk-moths (Sphingidae)
- Large sized
- Wingspan Range - 60-80 mm
Conservation Status
- UK BAP: Not listed
- Immigrant
Caterpillar Food Plants
Bedstraws (Galium spp), Rosebay Willowherb (Chamerion angustifolium), madders and fuchsias.
Habitat
Coastal, breeding on sand dunes, though can be found inland on waste ground
Distribution
- Countries - England, Scotland and Wales
- Immigrant. Widespread but uncommon/recorded all over UK, usually in small but fairly regular numbers, although occasionally in large numbers following a long period of absence or scarcity. Resident in Europe (east of southern France, north as far as Denmark/southern Scandinavia and Russia.
Bedstraw Hawk-moth - Ilia Ustyantsev
Bedstraw Hawk-moth
Ilia Ustyantsev
Bedstraw Hawk-moth - Ilia Ustyantsev
Bedstraw Hawk-moth
Ilia Ustyantsev
Bedstraw Hawk-moth - Paul Kitchener
Bedstraw Hawk-moth
Paul Kitchener
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (in flight) - Tapio Kaisla
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (in flight)
Tapio Kaisla
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (caterpillar) - Adam Gor
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (caterpillar)
Adam Gor
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (caterpillar) - Tomas Buchtele
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (caterpillar)
Tomas Buchtele
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (pupa) - Ettore Balocchi
Bedstraw Hawk-moth (pupa)
Ettore Balocchi