Next generation of moths

Whilst out looking for Purple Hairstreaks and Purple Emperors this week at Roughdown, I spotted a couple of moths in their pre-adult stages of development. A Burnet moth species had formed a chrysalis on a stem of Agrimony…

Burnet sp (likely 6-Spot) chrysalis on Agrimony

And, a fabulous Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) larva was feeding on Hedge Bedstraw. The head of the mature larva has incredible eye-like markings on the top. When alarmed, the larva retracts its long nose/mouth parts or trunk (from which its name is derived) and rears up like a snake. Very convincing it is too.

On the 11th June, the Trust mothing team trapped a Small Elephant Hawk-moth adult at Roughdown and it could well be the parent of this larva!

Left: larva/caterpillar; Right: adult/moth. Both photographed at Roughdown