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Moth/Butterfly/Insect???
Sun, Jun 28, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Found this in my garden today(28 th June 2009) on outside wall of the house.Unable to ascertain what it is- can you help
Hilary Ball
Lancashire UK

Elephant Hawk-Moth

Hi Hilary,
This lovely moth goes by the unglamorous name of Elephant Hawk-Moth, Deilephila elpenor. The UK Moths Website has this to say about the Elephant Hawk-Moth: “The English name of this moth is derived from the caterpillar’s fanciful resemblance to an elephant’s trunk.
The adults are attractively coloured pink and green affairs, with a streamlined appearance. They fly from May to July, visiting flowers such as honeysuckle ( Lonicera ) for nectar.
The larvae feed mainly on rosebay willowherb ( Epilobium angustifolium ), but also other plants as well, including bedstraw ( Galium ).
It is a common species in most of Britain, including Scotland, where it has increased its range in recent years.”  That range expansion might be a symptom of global warming.

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