A blog for moth enthusiasts in and around Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Monday, 17 June 2019
Privet Hawkmoth-Evesham
After starting uni I have had limit opportunity to trap in my home garden in urban Evesham. However, on return the trap was out even if the weather may have been a bit too windy. 45 moths of 15 species were recorded however the highlight was actually outside the trap, a PRIVET HAWKMOTH!! This becomes the 6 species of hawkmoth for the garden after my first record of Lime earlier in the year. On seeing the moth, to say I was excited would have been an understatement especially as its the largest hawkmoth I've ever seen however, I did not realise the significance of the record and how rare they are (would love to know how many Worcs records there are?). Heart and dart was the commonest moth with 22 recorded as well as the second light arches for the garden.
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Hi Ed,
ReplyDeleteA great record. Privet Hawks have been creeping back into southern Worcestershire over the last few years after a long absence. We have 19 records for VC37 including records from the outskirts of Birmingham in the 1950's but they retreated over the years and we had no records between 1973 and 2010. Since then they have been less than annual and almost always confined to the southern borders of the county. The exception was last year's only record which was from Broadheath. I get one or two most years at Childswickham just over the border into VC33 and I am sure that if anyone was running a trap regularly on Broadway Hill they would be seen! They are quite alarming when they turn up at light! You don't really expect things that big to be bashing into moth traps!
BTW we would love to have your garden records for the county database - there are few recorders in the south east of the county.
Regards,
Oliver Wadsworth
Almost all of the Privet Hawks I have caught at mv have been females. I have no idea why they dominate, but relatively easy to get them to lay eggs.
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