Hi ali7a,
Thank you for a very interesting question.
http://tpittaway.tripod.com/sphinx/s_lig.htm
(After you see the information on SPHINX Linnaeus, 1758 - you'll see
SPHINX LIGUSTRI Linnaeus, 1758)
BIOGEOGRAPHICAL AFFILIATION
Holarctic; western Palaearctic region. Pleistocene refuge: Polycentric
-- Pontomediterranen and Atlantomediterranean subsections of the
Mediterranean refuge, as well as the Manchurian refuge.
(3 very large photos of the Privet Hawkmoth)
Difficult to confuse with any other European hawkmoth, although small,
pale examples resemble the closely related North American Sphinx
drupiferarum J. E. Smith, which is sometimes found in this region as
an 'escapee'. Exhibits great variation: pink entirely replaced by grey
(f. grisea Closs); pink replaced by white on the hindwings and abdomen
only (f. albescens Tutt); abdominal 'ribs' yellow (f. lutescens Tutt).
Numerous other minor variations occur in which pink, brown or black
pigments are extensive. In the Hungarian Depression, a pale form
occurs which was once thought to be a distinct species (S. spiraeae
Esper, [1800]), with the larva feeding on Spiraea; a similar pale form
occurs in the drier regions of Central Asia (Eitschberger & Lukhtanov,
1996). There is no sexual dimorphism, although most females are
generally larger than males.
ADULT BIOLOGY
An open-scrub and woodland-edge insect, showing a preference for
limestone hills where Ligustrum vulgare is common, town suburbs with
L. ovalifolium as a hedging plant, and river valleys rich in Fraxinus
and Spiraea. Occurs up to 1500m in the Alps (Forster & Wohlfahrt,
1960) but only on the north-facing slopes of the Atlas Mountains in
North Africa.
Rests by day on vertical surfaces such as fence posts, tree trunks and
walls; rarely suspended from a twig. It is in such locations that
mating pairs can be found 'tail to tail', although many separate in
the afternoon and move two or three centimetres apart. Adults are
active all night and can often be seen visiting privet (Ligustrum),
honeysuckle (Lonicera) and many other sweet-scented flowers, with
maximum activity about two hours after sunset. Both sexes are
attracted to light.
FLIGHT-TIME
Univoltine; June in northern Europe. Farther south bivoltine,
April/May, and again in August as a partial to full second brood.
June/July in the Altai Mountains. May/June on the lower Volga
(Eversmann, 1844) and eastern Kazakhstan. In the southern Urals, from
late May until early July (Nupponen & Fibiger, 2002).
EARLY STAGES
OVUM: Pale green, elliptical, not very glossy (2.08 x 1.50mm). Up to
200 eggs are laid by each female on the underside of the leaves of the
hostplant, usually singly, although two or three together are not
uncommon. This stage lasts from 9--20 days, depending on temperature.
LARVA: Full-fed 90--100mm. Dimorphic: usually green; also a rare purple form.
(see 2 pictures of larvae)
On hatching, the larva measures approximately 5mm and is pale yellow
with a long dark horn. The eggshell is not eaten. With feeding, the
primary colour changes to luminescent green, speckled with yellow
tubercles. After the first moult, lateral streaks appear as a series
of dots, their final white and purple colours not developing until the
third instar; the yellow tubercles disappear in the last. Variation is
not great, but some larvae have darker than normal side stripes, often
complemented by a second, lower purple one. Others may have two or
more horns in series, each successively smaller. In others,
occasionally the primary body colour of green may be replaced by
purple, but this form is very rare.
Young larvae rest beneath the midrib of a leaf, but when fully grown
they assume a typical upside-down sphinx-like attitude, clinging to a
petiole or stem by their anal and last two prolegs, with the thoracic
segments hunched. Specimens feeding on Ligustrum or Syringa are mostly
to be found clinging to stripped shoots within two metres of the
ground, as are also many of those on Fraxinus, with saplings being
preferred to mature trees.
The larval stage lasts between four and seven weeks, after which the
green colour is replaced dorsally by purplish brown before the larva
descends in search of a suitable pupation site.
Commonest during August and September, but with significant numbers in
July and October, depending on the season and locality.
Major Hostplants. Ligustrum vulgare, L. ovalifolium, Syringa vulgaris,
Fraxinus excelsior, F. ornus and many species of Spiraea, the last
mainly in central and south-eastern Europe. Zolotarenko, Petrova &
Shiryaev (1978) record Viburnum opulus, Spiraea media, S. salicifolia,
S. trilobata and Fraxinus viridis from western Siberia.
Minor Hostplants. Ilex aquifolium (north-west Europe), Physocarpus
opulifolius, Viburnum tinus, V. lantana, V. opulus, Euonymus
europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Symphoricarpos alba, Ribes, Rubus, Malus,
Pyrus, Prunus avium, Sambucus nigra, Lonicera, Forsythia, Phillyrea,
Carpinus betulus, Sorbus aucuparia, Berberis vulgaris (Dutfield, 1748)
and Nerium oleander (Roueast, 1883), although the latter is very
doubtful. In some areas, Viburnum opulus may become the main host.
PUPA: 50--55mm. Rich, glossy brown. Pupation normally takes place in
soft, loamy soil up to 10cm deep, in a hollowed-out chamber lined with
a few strands of silk. The overwintering stage.
DISTRIBUTION
Most of temperate Europe, including all of Spain and Portugal (Pérez
De-Gregorio et al., 2001), Sicily (Mariani, 1939; Parenzan, 1995) and
Sardinia (Marini & Trentini (1986); Parenzan, 1995)) eastwards to the
Ural Mountains and lower Volga (Eversmann, 1844), western Siberia as
far north as Novosibirsk (Zolotarenko, Petrova & Shiryaev, 1978), the
Altai Mountains (Izerskiy, 1999) and western China (western Xinjiang
Province (Pittaway, pers. obs.)). From the Altai it pushes southwards
into eastern and southern Kazakhstan (Dubatolov, [1999]), Kyrgyzstan
(Eitschberger & Lukhtanov, 1996), Uzbekistan and northern Afghanistan
(Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998). In Europe its distribution
extends south and southeastwards to eastern Turkey (de Freina, 1979;
Danner, Eitschberger & Surholt, 1998), Armenia (Dubatolov, [1999]) and
Daghestan (Abdurahmanov, 1999), northern Algeria and northern Tunisia
(Rothschild & Jordan, 1903; Rougeot & Viette, 1978). Common in western
Europe but rarer farther east. Although still quite numerous in
northern Turkey (de Freina, 1979), it is absent from much of the
Balkan Peninsula and northern Scandinavia. A partial migrant
north-westwards.
Extra-limital range. From the Altai Mountains of Russia across
southern Siberia (Izerskiy, 1999), central-northern China (Shaanxi
Prov. (Pittaway, pers. obs.)), Mongolia, north-east China and the
Russian Far East (Izerskiy, 1999) to the Kurile Islands and northern
Japan (Hokkaido).
(see Distribution map)
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Privet Hawk-Moth ( Sphinx ligustri )
http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/hawkmoths/index.php
Despite the abundance of wild privet on site, this large hawk-moth was
unrecorded until July 1993. There were no further records for three
years but during 1996 and 1997 a handful of moths appeared and
breeding was confirmed when a caterpillar was found on the East Dunes.
Hopefully, this impressive moth will continue to colonise the site.
=================================================
15 PRIVET HAWK MOTH
http://www.whom.co.uk/squelch/woodland_wildlife.htm
Common habitat: Parks and gardens - ash woodland.
Found in gardens on privet and lilac hushes. These shrubs are related
to the ash - the caterpillar's woodland food supply. The adult moths
emerge in June having spent winter underground as pupae. Eggs - laid
on the backs of leaves - hatch into large bright green -
purple-striped caterpillars. When threatened the caterpillars assume a
hostile position.
Observation hint: Pink and black striped moths fly at night.
Caterpillars have a black horn.
=================================================
Privet Hawkmoth, female and male
http://www.onime.com/Butterflies/European/privethwkmth.htm
Fairly thinly distributed and rare throughout its range in southern
Finland, the Privet Hawkmoth begins its flight season in mid-June and
ends in mid-July. A second generation can develop in very hot summers.
The species is active at night and is attracted by light. Mainly found
in cultural environments.
The Larva of the Privet Hawkmoth
http://www.onime.com/Butterflies/European/privetlarva.htmPrivet Hawkmoth
Found in my garden in Kerava, Finland, on Syringa Ungaris, August 2003
Even though the Privet Hawkmoth is a fairly rare and scarce species
throughout its range in southern Finland, the larvae, which feed on
Spiraea and Syringa, are often conspicuously more numerous. The pupa
overwinters.
=================================================
Privet hawkmoth Sphinx ligustri
invertebrates species & habitats
Gloucestershire is blessed with a wonderful landscape which attracts a
variety of wildlife - from the Forest of Dean in the south-west of the
county to the Cotswolds in the east. Lying between we have the vale of
the River Severn which meanders from the north to the south.
http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/index.php?section=environment:species:invertebrate&id=109
Forewing is up to 55 mm. Brown wings have black markings. There is a
tan trailing edge to the forewing. The body is striped with pink and
black. Green caterpillar has seven purple-and-white stripes on each
side of its body.
Habitat
Woodland edges, hedges, parks and gardens across Europe, except
Ireland, Scotland and the far north of Scandinavia.
Food / Habits
Flies June to July, drinking nectar on the wing, especially from
honeysuckle. Larvae feed on privet, ash and lilac. Overwinters as a
pupa in the soil.
For more information use our feedback form to request further
information about this or other species.
Contact for more information:
Dulverton Building
Robinswood Hill Country Park
Reservoir Road
Gloucester
GL4 6SX
Phone 01452 383333
Fax 01452 383334
Email info@gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk
=================================================
Family: Sphingidae Subfamily: Sphinginae
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) Linnaeus, 1758
B&F Code: 1976
http://www.bike2nature.co.uk/moths/moth_1976.htm
Notes: Widespread and locally fairly common, though has declined
(see map)
Flight Time: (click for key to graph and map)
http://www.bike2nature.co.uk/key.htm
(see photos and areas)
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BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS OF THE HAMPSHIRE AND SURREY BORDERS
http://website.lineone.net/~butterflies.dells/pages/newpage6.htm
7. Privet (see photo)
=================================================
PRIVET HAWKMOTH
http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/B75.HTM
The Privet Hawkmoth (Sphinx ligustri) is a moth of the family
Sphingidae with a wing span of between 90 and 120 mm distributed
throughout the Palearctic flying from May to July.
PALEARCTIC
http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/GM.HTM#PALEARCTIC
The Palearctic subregion is a biogeographic subregion of the Holarctic
region of the world encompassing northern Africa, the whole of Europe
and the major part of Asia east as far as Japan, the Kurile Islands
and Kamchatka.
=================================================
Moths and butterflies
http://www.mundusloci.org/domus/Finn/Nature/moths/
(2 photos of Privet Hawkmoth)
=================================================
Privet Ligustrum vulgare
http://www.davidbellamyconservation.org.uk/advice/nativetrees.htm
Widespread in England and Wales, especially on thin, dry lime-rich
soils. Cannot tolerate water-logging.
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133 Ligustrum sps. Privet (species?) Windsor, 4816
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/l/ligvul/ligvul1.html
(see large photo of European privet)
=================================================
Sales, Wants & Exchange List No. 562. 15th November 2003
http://www.pwbelg.clara.net/ELG_562.pdf
FOR SALE: Attacus Atlas larvae @ £4.00 per dozen, IndianMoon Moth
larvae @ £3.00 per dozen, last 5 Privet Hawkmothpupae @ 90p each. P/P
on all orders 60p. Keith Jefferies, 9Bramley Crescent, Sonning Common,
Nr Reading RG4 9LU. Tel:0118 972 2611. E-Mail
keithacma@btopenworld.com
=================================================
keyword search:
Privet hawkmoth larvae england
Privet hawkmoth larvae distribution
Privet england
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
