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Welcome to Daves Moth and
Butterfly World - Species Name: Elephant Hawk-Moth | ||||||||
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Welcome to Dave McCormick's Moth and Butterfly World. Here is information t he Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). Hear Scientific Name
Go Back t o Macroglossinae PageGo to Thumbnail Species Index Information The Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) is a large moth of the Sphingidae family. This species is found throughout Britain and Ireland except for the north and east of Scotland, and its range extends across Europe, Russia, and into China, northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, Japan and Korea (though not Taiwan). Introduced specimens have been found in British Columbia. In most of their range, the adults are seen from May to July and the caterpillars from July to September, when they pupate. However in some parts of the Mediterranean and China the adults may be seen from April on, sometimes having two broods in a year. Similar Species Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus), Chitral Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila rivularis) Known Aberrations To Be Completed. Adult Images The adults tend to feed in the evening, and often takes nectar from garden plants like honeysuckles and petunias, so it is quite often seen in urban settings. The moth has a wing span typically between 50 and 70 mm. It is spectacularly coloured, seeming to shimmer with green and red when in motion. The adult moths are eaten by some species of bat. In the UK the adults fly from May to July, visiting flowers such as honeysuckle for nectar.
Mating Images None Caterpillar Images The caterpillars grow to about 75mm long and are either green and brown in colour, rarer they are green. Like most hawk moth caterpillars, they have a backward curving spine or "horn" on the final abdominal segment. The anterior of the caterpillar appears to have the shape of a trunk-like snout. It is this elephant look, rather than its large size, that gives the moth its name. When startled, the caterpillar draws its trunk into its foremost body segment. This posture resembles a snake with a large head and four large eye-like patches. Caterpillars are preyed upon by birds, but these shy away (at least for some time) from caterpillars in "snake" pose. It is not known whether the birds take the caterpillar to actually resemble a snake, or are frightened by the sudden change of a familiar prey item into an unusual and boldly-patterned shape. The preferred food plants of the caterpillar are willowherb and bedstraw, though it will also take fuchsias. Pupae Images This moth overwinters a s a pupae and it pupates in a flimsy cocoon, amongst plant debris or just below surface of ground. Forms Pages None Subspecies Pages elpenor/szechuana Aberrations None Videos Pages None References http://www.ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=60 - Elephant Hawk-Moth - (c) 2009, Ian Kimbler Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (Revised edition) - Paul Waring and Martin Townsend (c) 2003, 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant_hawkmoth - Elephant Hawkmoth - Wikipedia Page last edited: 15/09/2009 18:06 (c) David McCormick 2009 | |||||||||
