List of moths of Great Britain (Sphingidae) explained

The family Sphingidae comprises the "hawk-moths", of which seventeen occur regularly in Great Britain:

Subfamily Sphinginae

thumb|right|Privet hawk-moth

• [Agrius cingulata, pink-spotted hawk-moth — probable import]
• Agrius convolvuli, convolvulus hawk-moth — migrant
• Acherontia atropos, death's-head hawk-moth — migrant
• [Manduca quinquemaculata, five-spotted hawk-moth — probable import]
• [Manduca sexta, tomato sphinx — probable import]
• [Manduca rustica, rustic sphinx — probable import]
• Sphinx ligustri, privet hawk-moth — south
• [Sphinx drupiferarum, wild cherry sphinx — possible migrant, more likely import]
• Hyloicus pinastri, pine hawk-moth — south and south-east (localized)

thumb|right|Lime hawk-moth

• Mimas tiliae, lime hawk-moth — south and centre
• Smerinthus ocellata, eyed hawk-moth — south and centre
• Laothoe populi, poplar hawk-moth — throughout

thumb|right|Small elephant hawk-moth

• Hemaris tityus, narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth — south-west, west-central, north-west and east (Nationally Scarce B) ‡
• Hemaris fuciformis, broad-bordered bee hawkmoth — south and east-central (Nationally Scarce B)
• Macroglossum stellatarum, hummingbird hawk-moth — common migrant, resident in south-west
• Proserpinus proserpina, willowherb hawk-moth — south and east (may be accidental import)
• Daphnis nerii, oleander hawk-moth — migrant
• Hyles euphorbiae, spurge hawk-moth — migrant
• Hyles gallii, bedstraw hawk-moth — migrant (occasionally over-winters)
• [Hyles nicaea, Mediterranean hawk-moth — possible migrant, more likely import]
• [Hyles hippophaes, seathorn hawk-moth — possible migrant, more likely import]
• Hyles livornica, striped hawk-moth — migrant
• Hyles lineata, white-lined hawk-moth — ?vagrant
• Deilephila elpenor, elephant hawk-moth — south and centre (common), north (rare)
• Deilephila porcellus, small elephant hawk-moth — south, centre and north (localized)
• Hippotion celerio, silver-striped hawk-moth — migrant

Species listed in the 2007 UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)^[1] are indicated by a double-dagger symbol (‡)—species so listed for research purposes only are also indicated with an asterisk (‡*).

See also

• List of moths of Great Britain (overview)
  • Family lists: Hepialidae, Cossidae, Zygaenidae, Limacodidae, Sesiidae, Lasiocampidae, Saturniidae, Endromidae, Drepanidae, Thyatiridae, Geometridae, Sphingidae, Notodontidae, Thaumetopoeidae, Lymantriidae, Arctiidae, Ctenuchidae, Nolidae, Noctuidae and Micromoths

References

1. Butterfly Conservation, 2007. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan – Moths. Butterfly Conservation, Wareham, UK. 4p.

• Waring, Paul, Martin Townsend and Richard Lewington (2003) Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. British Wildlife Publishing, Hook, UK. .