Gentle giants of the moth world. These strong fliers are brightly coloured as both caterpillars and adults, going from vibrant green to blushing pink.
Common name: privet hawk-moth
Scientific name: Sphinx ligustri
Family: Sphingidae (hawk-moths)
Habitat: woodland, gardens, hedgerows
Caterpillar foodplants: privet, honeysuckle, holly, ash, a number of garden plants
Predators: birds, bats and small mammals
Origin: native
Adults: long, pointed forewings wings with dark brown patches that are held to its side when resting. When pulled forward they reveal pink hindwings and a pink and black striped body.
Wingspan: 9-12cm
Caterpillars: large and vibrant green with diagonal white and purple stripes down its sides. The ‘horn’ on the tail end is yellow and black and slightly curved.
Credit: Christopher Miles / Alamy Stock Photo
Adults: feed on the nectar of night-scented flowers such as honeysuckle and jasmine.
Caterpillars: eat the leaves of privet, honeysuckle, ash, holly and garden plants such as spirea and lilac.
The privet hawk-moth is the UK’s largest resident moth.
Adults are on the wing between June and July. They are strong fliers and range widely in search of mates.
Their caterpillars can be spotted from July to September. They pupate underground over the winter, emerging as adults the following summer.
Credit: Sabena Jane Blackbird / Alamy Stock Photo
Privet hawk-moths are common across southern and central England and Wales. They are regular visitors to suburban parks and gardens as well as woodland, hedgerows and the wider countryside.
Unlike butterflies which warm up by basking in the sun, most large moths ‘shiver’ to warm up their wing muscles for flight.
These moths feed by night but can sometimes be found resting on tree trunks during the day. They are attracted to light and are easiest to spot by using a moth trap.
One way to find their caterpillars is to look for their unusually-shaped droppings beneath likely feeding spots. They are small are dark, and said to resemble hand grenades.
Credit: Ross Jolliffe / Alamy Stock Photo
The UK’s population is stable and not thought to be under threat, however the rapid spread of ash dieback disease could impact the abundance of suitable caterpillar foodplants on which to lay eggs. You can encourage these moths to visit your garden by planting strong-scented night flowers.
Amy Lewis • 21 Jun 2021
Hawk-moths are some of the largest and most recognisable moths in the UK. Learn to tell which is which with our visual guide to 10 of the most commonly encountered UK species.
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