- Lifespan
- 4–6 weeks as an adult moth
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 34–38 mm; body length approximately 25–27 mm
- Habitat
- Gardens, woodland edges, parks, and areas with abundant willowherb and bedstraw plants, from lowland to upland regions.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout England, Wales, and southern Scotland; generally resident with population increases in late summer from continental migrants.
- Diet
- Adults feed on nectar from a variety of flowers including honeysuckle, bedstraw, and valerian, particularly at dusk and dawn.
- Predators
- Birds, spiders, and small mammals; nocturnal habits provide protection from most daytime predators.
- Mating Season
- May to September, with two broods per year in the UK
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs singly on or near food plants; caterpillars take 4–6 weeks to develop; pupation occurs in loose cocoons in soil or leaf litter.
- Behaviour
- Named for the eyespots on the caterpillar's thorax resembling an elephant's face, a defence mechanism when threatened. Adults are strongly nocturnal and attracted to lights. Males engage in hill-topping behaviour during warm afternoons.