Our reserve’s moth trap has suddenly begun to yield a group of the largest moth species found in this country. Within the past week the hawk moths have appeared! This group of friendly giants, also known as sphinx moths, are actually often considered to look quite exotic.Our first encounter with hawk moths occurred on the 21st of May, where our trap suddenly saw three different species. The most numerous of these was the poplar hawk moth, so called because when resting its wings can look like the dead leaves of a poplar tree. One of the five poplars caught in our trap. Image by Lucy Hodson
The poplar hawk moth is the largest of the three species we’ve caught so far, with a wingspan of up to 10cm. As you can imagine these hefty little creatures are quite heavy to hold, and land with a thud!The next of these winged giants to be caught was the eyed hawk-moth. Although overall quite dull in colour, it has a flash of colour on each hind wing. These spots are displayed when the moth feels threatened, and are said to look like eyes; thus giving this monster moth its name.
The eyed hawk moth, clearly displaying its 'eyes'. Image by Lucy Hodson The last of the hawk moth species to be caught was the spectacular elephant hawk moth. Although slightly smaller than the other two species, with a wing span of 5-7cm, it is still an eye-catching creature. As you can see, this little fellow got up-close and personal when I tried to take a snap of him!The elephant hawkmoth. Images by (and of!) Lucy Hodson.
Due to its bright pink and green colours, this moth is often mistaken for a butterfly. Since starting work at Coombes I’ve come to learn that not all moths are dull brown colours. They can be even more varied than our UK butterflies! The elephant hawk moth gets it’s name not from bright pink elephants, but from the appearance of its caterpillar. The greyish colour, along with its shape is often said to look like an elephants trunk, especially in certain ‘poses’.
The trunk-resembling catepillar of the elephant hawk moth. Image by Guy Rogers, from RSPB Images.
Before coming to Coombes, I didn’t know the world of moths could be so exciting! In the UK there are around 2400 species of moths, and 800 or so of these are ‘macro moths’, which are generally larger species. In previous blogs we’ve mentioned our reserve’s star species of moth; the argent & sable. We actively manage our reserve for all nature and a whole variety of wildlife, not just birds. This intriguing and rare monochrome moth is an example of an invertebrate we directly work towards conserving & monitoring. On June 15th there will be a guided walk with an invertebrate theme; looking at insects, bugs, spiders and moths. We’ll investigate just how you go about looking for the hidden depths of life on the micro-level, and beginners and families are welcome! The walk will involve activities along the way such as using sweep nets, investigating deadwood, and best of all, a moth-trap demonstration at the end along with refreshments. Who knows, will we see any more of the monster moths?If you’d like to come along, the walk will start at 1pm and finish at 3pm on Sunday June 15th. Adults cost £4 and children £2, with a 20% discount for RSPB members, including car parking charges. No booking is required for this event. For more information please visit the Coombes Valley website at www.rspb.org.uk/coombesvalley or call the reserve office on 01538 384017.
My very amateur wildlife photos: instagram.com/lucy_lapwing