69.006 Sphinx ligustri (Privet Hawkmoth)
fw: 41-55mm, ws 100-120mm; Jun-Jul; privets (Ligustrum spp), ash (Fraxinus excelsior); common in S.England, occasional in N.England and S.Scotland, largely coastal in Wales.
Sphinx ligustri (Privet Hawkmoth) §1
ID: The four british representatives of subfamily Sphinginae rest with the wings in a tectiform position. Acherontia atropos (Death's-head Hawkmoth) is very distinctively marked. Both S.ligustri and Agrius convolvuli (Convolvulus Hawmoth) are large, (although some S.ligustri are smaller than any A.convolvuli (fw 50-55mm)) and both have a black and pink banded abdomen - they can be most obviously distinguished by the black thorax and brown terminal forewing band of S.ligustri. Hyloicus pinastri (Pine Hawkmoth) is relatively small (fw 35-41mm), has a pair of black thoracic stripes and lacks any pink in the abdomen.
§1 Foulness, Essex; 29/06/2008
§2 Foulness, Essex; 06/07/2008
§3 Foulness, Essex; 27/06/2010 - 6 in one trap
§4 St Lawrence, Isle of Wight; 31/05/2014
§5 Orlestone Forest, Kent; 07/07/2019; male; fw 48.2mm
§6 St Mary's, IOS; 02/06/2024
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Foulness, Essex; 06/07/2008
§3 Foulness, Essex; 27/06/2010 - 6 in one trap
§4 St Lawrence, Isle of Wight; 31/05/2014
§5 Orlestone Forest, Kent; 07/07/2019; male; fw 48.2mm
§6 St Mary's, IOS; 02/06/2024
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 09/11/2014 (§1-4) | §5 added 31/01/2020 | §6 added 14/06/2024
