Moths in the Sphingidae and Hepialidae families

Sphingidae Family.

This family contains the swift-flying hawkmoths. There are 17 species in the U.K., although some of these do not overwinter here.

On the left is the typical caterpillar body shape.

The adults are usually fairly large with rather stout bodies. The forewings are narrow and pointed, see below. Many are nocturnal, but the bee and hummingbird hawkmoths are day fliers.

The front wings can be twice as long as the rear wings. And the rapid wing beating, and habit of many in the family of hovering whilst feeding makes some of these moths resemble hummingbirds.

A few species have clear patches in their wings, and are sometimes mistaken for bumblebees. Worldwide the wingspan ranges from 32 - 155 mm.

On the right is a typical Sphingid pupa. Pupation is usually in the soil beneath the foodplant.

In the 19th century botanists were mystified by the Madagascan orchid, Angraecum sesquipedale, as they couldn't see how it could be pollinated. They knew something was pollinating it, but what? You se the nectar was to be found only in the last 1 cm at the end of a narrow spur 20 - 20 cm long.

Darwin was shown the flower. It is large and white, and the nectar is thick and fragrant. So this told him that in the thick jungle, the scent and the whiteness of the flower were probably the things that attracted the pollinator. Now white fragrant flowers the world over are often pollinated at night by moths. So Darwin predicted that a moth with a tongue (proboscis) of 30 cm or more was the elusive pollinator.

At that time no such moth had been found, nor was one found in Darwin's life time. But 40 years after he had made his prediction such a moth was found, Xanthopan morgani subspecies praedicta.

Cocytius lucifer

On the left is Cocytius lucifer, a hawk moth found in Mexico and South America. From this preserved specimen you see that it has an extremely long proboscis. The adult wingspan is 14 - 16 cm, and it flies throughout the year. The females attract the males by releasing a pheromone from a gland at the tip of the abdomen. The caterpillars are green and white and hairless. They grow up to 11.8 cm long.

Hemaris officinalis, the snowberry clearwing

Below left is Hemaris officinalis, the snowberry clearwing. Found all over the US. Adults are often mistaken for bumblebees. As you can see in the photograph the wings have large clear patches which is where the common name comes from. Even when feeding the wings beat fast, so that they are almost a blur. They feed on lantana, honeysuckle, snowberry, lilac and thistles. The adults are day fliers, and the wingspan is 3.2 - 5.0 cm. The caterpillars feed on snowberry, honeysuckle and dogbane. They pupate in cocoons in leaf litter.

Death's head hawkmoth, Acheronita atropos

The Death's head hawkmoth, Acheronita atropos, is the largest British hawkmoth, with a wing span of up to 15 cm, and a skull pattern in the hairs of the thorax. The adults are usually immigrants from the continent and arrive in the autumn. The adults can make a mouse-like squeaking sound. Lepidopterists can also buy eggs to rear in captivity. Eggs are laid on potato plants.

Hepialus humuli, the Ghost swift moth, Ghost moth, Swift moth

The eggs are laid in June. Actually they are not really laid, but are scattered by the female as she flies over the foodplants. There is usually one generation a year.

The caterpillar (above) hatches after around 2 weeks, and feeds underground on plant roots until the following May, although some may not pupate until the following year. It is up to 40 mm long, pale dirty- white with a shiny red-brown head and grey-brown spots. It is found in fields, gardens, and anywhere its foodplants grow. It feeds on a variety of herbaceous plants including grasses.

Pupation takes place underground in a brown cocoon (see above). The pupa works its way to the soil surface before the adult emerges, and the husk of an empty one can sometimes be found sticking out of the ground with just the tail section in the soil.

The adult (left and below) hatches out at the end of May and in June. The adult male (left) is pure white, giving it its common name, and the female is yellowish - tan. The male dances over the grasses at dusk to attract the female to mate. The female is larger and darker coloured. It is believed that the male may have UV patterns invisible to humans, but visible to the females sitting in the grass.

Its range extends eastward across Europe to western Asia.