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n - Adults

Photo of  Lime Hawk-moth by Graeme Davis

Larvae shown are final instar before pupation unless otherwise stated

Early instar

Common,
Food : Willowherbs - and sometimes bedstraw
Larva seen : June to September
Colours vary from green to black; often change colour from green on moulting. Recognised by pairs of ‘eyes’.

1991 Deilephila elpenor Elephant Hawk-moth

 




 


 

1976 Sphinx ligustri Privet Hawk-moth




 


 

1634 Malacosoma neustria Lackey Moth

 

 


 

Common,
Food : Willows and poplars
Larva seen : June to September

The display of red - ‘tails’ and ‘face’ is a defensive position.

1995 Cerura vinula Puss Moth





 


 

On the move -defence position

Early instar

Common,
Food :Broad-leaved trees and shrubs, including birch, hazel, oak,willow.
Larva seen : July to October
Early instars live together - stripping a branch and moving together to another branch

1994 Phalera bucephala Buff-tip





 


 

Common,
Food : Privet,Lilac or Ash
Larva seen : June to September

Final instar

Early instar

Very early instar

Fairly common in Southern England, South Wales and the Midlands
Food :Lime but also Birch and Alder
Larva seen: June to September

1979 Mimas tiliae Lime Hawk-moth





 


 

1643 Saturnia pavonia Emperor


 


 

Common,
Food : Various woody plants including Heather, Blackthorn, Willow
Larva seen : May to August
Some variation in the green background colour and in the amount of black
        markings.

Early instar

Common,
Food : Various grasses and reeds
Larva over-winters : seen August to following June

Common, particularly on moorland and near the sea
Food : On moorland heather and winberry; elsewhere
          various herbaceous and woody plants
Larva over-winters : seen June to following April

1638 Macrothylacia rubi Fox Moth

1637 Lasiocampa quercus Oak Eggar


 


 

Common, particularly on moorland
Food : On moorland  heather and winberry; elsewhere various shrubs and young trees
Larva over-winters : seen August to following June

Final instar

Early instar
in web

Eggs on
Blackthorn twig

Common
Food : Various shrubs and young trees including hawthorn and blackthorn.
Larva seen : April to June

Common
Food : Mainly vetches and clovers
Larva over-winters : seen August to following June
Colour and markings of larvae of these three Burnets are the same but larva of  
Z.lonicerae has longer hairs.

Common
Food : Mainly birdsfoot trefoil
Larva over-winters : seen July to following June
Larvae of
Zygaena trifolii  Five-spot Burnet  and Z. Filipendulae Six-spot Burnet are too similar to tell apart using photographs.

171  Zygaena lonicerae Narrow-Bordered Five-spot Burnet  



 


 

169 Zygaena filipendulae Six-spot Burnet


 

Larvae4. Other Macromoths page 1
Macromoths which are not in the Noctuidae or the Geometridae


MACROS2 Identify moths


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1640 Euthrix potatoria Drinker


 

Early instar