Discover some magnificent moths with Barry Henwood, co-author of Field Guide to the Caterpillars of Great Britain and Ireland and volunteer with Devon Wildlife Trust

One of my earliest memories of moths is astonishment at finding a poplar hawk-moth on a fence. This encounter helped spark a life-long interest. The group of moths known as hawk-moths includes the largest species found in the UK. They’re a diverse group, but one characteristic they all share is that the caterpillar has a horn at the end of its abdomen.

We have nine resident species, with a further nine migrating here from Europe. But of these migrants, only the hummingbird hawk-moth is able to survive our winters. Most spectacular is the death’s-head hawk-moth, an uncommon migrant. Its short, stubby tongue is specialised for taking honey from the nests of honey bees. It emits an audible squeak, thought to be a form of communication that helps it cheat the bees.

Some hawk-moths fly by day, such as the two species of bee hawk-moth and the hummingbird hawk-moth, but the majority fly by night. Some do not feed as adults, but those that do act as pollinators and can distribute the pollen over very long distances.

The hummingbird hawk-moth, for example, has the potential for bringing pollen from France.

The night-flying adults are attracted by lights, but you may find them resting by day, perhaps on fence posts or trees. They are camouflaged, but if disturbed by a bird some species flash their colourful hindwings. The poplar hawk-moth displays a red patch, whilst the eyed hawk-moth reveals bright colours and eye spots. These serve to startle the bird and make it flee. The elephant hawk-moth is particularly colourful, but more often its caterpillar is found in gardens. It has a swollen first abdominal segment and large eye spots, giving the illusion of a snake. Caterpillars of other species can be found by searching their foodplants and looking for stripped leaves on branches or their droppings beneath.