69.004 : 1972 : 6828
Sphingidae : Sphinginae

Convolvulus Hawk-moth

AGRIUS convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Kind permission - © Tim Norriss
Life Cycle Guide - Britain - late summer & Autumn
Picture
Description
MigrantWingspan: Male - 85-110mm Female 90-115mm
Worldwide Distribution: Apart from polar regions almost worldwide : Migrant into Europe each year in varying numbers ,with some reaching the further northern regions.
UK Distribution: Fairly common migrant appearing in south and east England,occasionally in large numbers
UK Conservation Status -
  • Migrant
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Sphinx convolvuli Linnaeus, 1758
Type Species - Agrius
  • Sphinx cingulata Fabricius, 1775
Type Locality -
  • Europe
Flight Period: Europe - May - November : Britain - June -early November
Habitat: Most types of habitat
Similar Species -
  • None
Larva: The 100mm plus final instar larva is either brownish or green with a series of green or yellow lateral stripes along side and large curved black horn on the eleventh segment. Spiracles are large and red or black encompassed within a black spot. Earlier instars are green.
Finding the larval stage in the wild is rarely encountered.
Pupa: The pupa has a long curled proboscis sheath and is formed just below the soil.Pupal stage last three to six weeks depending on warmth conditions.
Overwinters as: Larva
Observations: The Convolvulus Hawk-moth is a large grey moth with pointed forewing apex and a series of longitudinal black streaks along forewings with wavy light coloured faint cross lines.The postmedian line is dentate in appearance.
The hindwing has a series of wavy cross llines against a light whitish background.
Like many hawk moths the abdomen is a series of black and pink rings and the thorax has black lined shape as shown in photo 2.

The moth is resident in almost the entire world,excluding polar regions and is a regular migrant to Europe in variable numbers where they travel further northwards, reaching the southern most counties of England. In good years the moth breeds in small numbers although the resultant adults are highly unlikely to survive the winter in any numbers. 

The moth is attracted to light and can be found at rest during the day.
Photo Gallery
Larval Food Plants Worldwide
Note - Plants hyperlinked in red below take the visitor to the relevant plant page on"Plants for a Future" website where further information like photos,physical characteristics,habitats,edible uses,medicinal uses,cultivation,propagation,range,height etc. are clearly listed.
Plant Families - in bold red below takes the visitor to the relevant "Lepi-plants" page where other butterflies & moths using the plants below are listed.
Larval Food Plants
Taxonomy
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Type Species-AGRIUS:

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Forms:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Bombycoidea
Sphingidae
Sphinginae
Acherontiini
AGRIUS Hübner,{1819])
Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Sphinx cingulata Fabricius, 1775
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SPHINX convolvuli Linnaeus, 1758
= Sphinx abadonna (Fabricius, 1798)
= Sphinx patatas Ménétriés, 1857
= Sphinx roseafasciata Koch, 1865
= Sphinx pseudoconvolvuli Schaufuss, 1870
= Protoparce distans Butler, 1876
= Protoparce orientalis Butler, 1876
= Sphinx batatae (Christ, 1882)
= Agrius alicea (Neuberger, 1899)
= Agrius nigricans (Cannaviello, 1900)
= Agrius fuscosignata Tutt, 1904
= Agrius grisea Tutt, 1904
= Agrius ichangensis Tutt, 1904
= Agrius intermedia Tutt, 1904
= Agrius javanensis Tutt, 1904
= Agrius major Tutt, 1904
= Agrius minor Tutt, 1904
= Agrius obscura Tutt, 1904
= Agrius suffusa Tutt, 1904
= Agrius tahitiensis Tutt, 1904
= Sphinx unicolor Tutt, 1904
= Agrius variegata Tutt, 1904
= Agrius virgata Tutt, 1904
= Agrius indica (Skel, 1913)
= Herse marshallensis (Clark, 1922)
= Agrius peitaihoensis (Clark, 1922)
= Herse aksuensis (O. Bang-Haas, 1927)
= Agrius extincta (Gehlen, 1928)
= posticoconflua (Bryk, 1946)
= Herse convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)
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AGRIUS (Hübner, [1819])
= Timoria Kaye 1919
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page : p.490 - n.6
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Europe
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A.c.f.virgata Tutt,1904 - forewing median area darker
A.c.f.obscura Tutt, 1904- darkening of four wings
A.c.f.variegata Tutt, 1904 basal & terminal areas suffused with white
A.c.f.alicea Neuburger, 1899 - abdomen golden brown-not grey,cross lines golden yellow-not red