Field Guide
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Privet Hawk-moth
Sphinx ligustri
Not yet photographed by the community
Largest resident UK hawk-moth; pink-striped abdomen.
Species Profile
Green List (Least Concern)
- Lifespan
- 4–6 weeks as adults in the wild
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 100–120 mm; body length 45–55 mm
- Habitat
- Gardens, parks, and woodland edges with mature privet hedges and other suitable larval foodplants.
- UK Distribution
- South and central England, becoming scarcer northwards; primarily resident but occasional immigrants from continental Europe boost populations in late summer.
- Diet
- Adults feed on nectar from flowers, particularly honeysuckle and other tubular blooms, using their long proboscis.
- Predators
- Birds, spiders, and parasitoid wasps targeting larvae and pupae
- Mating Season
- June to August
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs singly or in small batches on privet and related plants; larvae are solitary and fully grown within 3–4 weeks; pupation occurs in soil chambers overwinter, producing one generation per year.
- Behaviour
- Nocturnal and strongly attracted to light sources. Males can be observed patrolling for females at dusk in suitable habitat. The larvae are cryptic and well-camouaged, relying on their size to deter predators rather than speed.
- •One of the UK's largest and most impressive hawk-moths, with a distinctive torpedo-shaped body
- •The caterpillar can reach 80 mm in length and is bright green with diagonal white stripes and a curved tail spine
- •Adults have a wingspan of up to 12 cm and possess a 25 mm long proboscis for feeding
- •The species overwinters as a pupa buried 10–15 cm deep in the soil, emerging in late May or June
- •Its population has declined significantly in northern Britain over the past 50 years, likely due to loss of hedgerows and milder winters favouring continental competition
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