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Moths Page 11

Image Taken on 11 Jun 2023 at 07:24    Image of day on 03 Aug 2023

Poplar hawk moths are big and take a while to warm up for flight, providing a chance to get this portrait 'in the hand' 'on the thumb'.


Ref: 20230803_p10_20230611_0724_486 poplar hawk moth perched on human hand face to camera (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 29 May 2009 at 13:46    Image of day on 28 Jun 2009

The Moth trap caught its usual few hundred moths including a couple of these Poplar Hawk-moths. Hawk-moths are BIG - see the typical size oak leaf.


Ref: 20090628_d01_20090529_1346_001+1555_266 ft1 poplar hawk-moth 1 in flight with oak leaves (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Jun 2008 at 11:34    Image of day on 15 Jun 2008

Detail of the head and antennae.


Ref: 20080615_dc1_20080609_1134_128 poplar hawk-moth head & antennae(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 18 May 2014 at 13:08    Image of day on 14 Jul 2014

Hawk-moths are as big as UK moths get. With the 100 or so Poplar trees planted along the farm track we have hopes of being inundated with these Poplar Hawk-moths. For now we just enjoyed just this one.


Ref: 20140714_da1_20140518_1308_095+1341_195_ft1 poplar hawk-moth in flight (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Jun 2019 at 10:10    Image of day on 18 Aug 2019

The Moth-trap caught 3 different types of Hawk-moths.
This Poplar Hawk Moth is the biggest we caught at about 6cm across


Ref: 20190818_da1_20190629_1010_008+1020_042_ft1 poplar hawk-moth in flight and perched on honeysuckle twig (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jul 2013 at 10:57    Image of day on 07 Sep 2013

This is a Poplar Hawk Moth as if taking off from the thistle. If you look for this insect in a reference book DON'T look for the orange patches - the resting position of the moth has the rear wings partly in front of the forewings, hiding the orange for use in startling attackers.


Ref: 20130907_da1_20130722_1057_024+1303_270_ft1 poplar hawk-moth in flight as if taking off from thistle (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2014 at 10:52    Image of day on 06 Aug 2014

This is the Poplar Hawk-moth showing off the orange patches you don't see in the resting insect - the insect hides them by moving the rear wings so that they stick out in front of the forewings in an atypical position. See how the wings bend under the stress of flight.


Ref: 20140806_da1_20140601_1052_056+1248_220_ft1 poplar hawk-moth in flight with hawthorn (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Jul 2013 at 12:34    Image of day on 07 Sep 2013

Another Poplar Hawk Moth this time shown with Ragwort flowers for scale.


Ref: 20130907_da1_20130722_1234_163+1301_259_ft1 poplar hawk-moth in flight with ragwort flowers (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 14 Jun 2009 at 16:08    Image of day on 10 Jul 2009

The moth trap caught a couple of Poplar Hawk-moths. Here is an image of one of them after release back in the meadow


Ref: 20090710_db1_20090614_1608_075 poplar hawk-moth on clover stem (crop 1)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 14 Jun 2009 at 16:08    Image of day on 10 Jul 2009

More detail of the head and antennae.


Ref: 20090710_db1_20090614_1608_075 poplar hawk-moth on clover stem (crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2021 at 13:42    Image of day on 02 Jul 2021

Here montaged at the same scale with a small head of Cow Parsley you get a better idea of scale.


Ref: 20210702_da1_20210601_1342_250+1526_426_ft1 poplar hawk-moth with small head of cow parsley (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 01 Jun 2021 at 13:42    Image of day on 02 Jul 2021

Hawk-moths are, by Moth standards, really big. This Poplar Hawk-moth was a wingspan of about 40mm (inch and a half) though it seems bigger when you are handling them. The orange patch doesn't show at all on the resting insect, and doesn't get any mention in ID books or normal photos.


Ref: 20210702_da1_20210601_1342_250+1418_366_ft1 2 poplar hawk-moths in flight (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Jun 2008 at 11:33    Image of day on 15 Jun 2008

An overnight run of the moth trap (a bright mercury vapour lamp to attract moths who spend the night safely below in old egg cartons) caught about 200 moths of 30 species. These Poplar Hawk-moths have a body length of about 4cm. We happened to catch two and couldn't resist showing them together - they look different because their underwings are differently positioned.


Ref: 20080615_dc1_20080609_1133_125 2 poplar hawk-moths on moss (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 26 Jun 2011 at 16:10    Image of day on 11 Aug 2011

Here it was vigorously flapping its wings to warm up for flight and making a noticeable draught and blowing dust about on the 'set'. But even when thoroughly warm and flying round the room we couldn't persuade it to fly in the right direction to get images in flight.


Ref: 20110811_da1_20110626_1610_411_ft1 privet hawk-moth flapping wings to warm up on hawthorn twig (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 07 Jul 2013 at 14:49    Image of day on 20 Aug 2013

By any standard Privet Hawk-Moths are impressive insects with a body length of about 6cm (2.5 inches). This is a portrait hanging from hawthorn, although caterpillars feed on Privet and Lilac of which we have both.


Ref: 20130820_da1_20130707_1449_375_ft1 privet hawk-moth fluttering wings on hawthorn twig 12 of 14 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Jun 2019 at 10:54    Image of day on 18 Aug 2019

Also about 6cm across is this Privet Hawk-moth


Ref: 20190818_da1_20190629_1054_235+1104_289_ft1 privet hawk-moth in flight & perched on honeysuckle twig (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 07 Jul 2013 at 14:53    Image of day on 20 Aug 2013

This is the Privet Hawk-Moth in flight, showing the small rear wings.


Ref: 20130820_da1_20130707_1453_400+1437_304_ft1 privet hawk-moth in flight with grass head (montage 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 29 Jun 2019 at 10:57    Image of day on 18 Aug 2019

This Privet Hawk-moth on the wrist provides a better idea of size.


Ref: 20190818_da1_20190629_1057_257_ft1 privet hawk-moth on hand (orig)(r+mb id@432).jpg


Image Taken on 26 Jun 2011 at 16:04    Image of day on 11 Aug 2011

Yes - it is a BIG moth.


Ref: 20110811_da1_20110626_1604_371_ft1 privet hawk-moth on roys hand (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg


Image Taken on 26 Jun 2011 at 14:46    Image of day on 11 Aug 2011

The Moth trap caught this huge moth - our first sighting of a Privet Hawk Moth.


Ref: 20110811_da1_20110626_1446_194_ft1 privet hawkmoth flapping wings to warm up on hawthorn twig (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


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