Species Details

ABH: 69.006

BF: 1976

Family: Sphingidae

Subfamily: Sphinginae

Taxon: Sphinx ligustri

Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

Vernacular: Privet Hawk-moth

Account: Common on downland and open woodland, and in hedgerows, gardens and fens throughout southern England. Unmistakable. Larva feeds on Wild and Garden Privet, Ash, Lilac and Guelder-rose, over-wintering as a pupa.

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: 100 — 120 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 8 May (1990) — 9 Aug (1981)

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

Foodplant: Fraxinus sp., Ligustrum sp., Syringa sp.

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

Status: Least Concern (LC)

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/sphinx-ligustri/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 316

Individuals: 83

Earliest Year: 1857

Latest Year: 2025

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