Species Details

ABH: 69.005

BF: 1973

Family: Sphingidae

Subfamily: Sphinginae

Taxon: Acherontia atropos

Authority: (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular: Death's-head Hawk-moth

Account: Rare immigrant from southern Europe, appearing in southern and eastern England, in some years arriving in sufficient numbers to breed in very small numbers Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Deadly Nightshade, Woody Nightshade and Potato, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas, unable to over-winter in significant numbers.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 102 — 135 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 27 Apr (1977) — 14 Oct (1969)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant: Ligustrum vulgare (Wild Privet), Solanaceae., Solanum tuberosum (Potato).

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Migrant

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/acherontia-atropos/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 47

Individuals: 36

Earliest Year: 1865

Latest Year: 2019

« Previous Random 🎲 Next »