69.017 : 1992 : 6863
Sphingidae : Macroglossinae

Small Elephant Hawk-moth

DEILEPHILA porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Picture
Life Cycle Guide
Picture
Description
Wingspan: 40-45mm
Worldwide Distribution:
UK Distribution: England and Wales-widespread but local : Northern England and Scotland-thinly distributed : Ireland-coastal but widely distributed : Isle of Man-fairly widespread : Channel Isles : Widespread
UK Conservation Status -
  • Local= 101 - 300 10Km Squares
European Conservation Status -
  • Least Concern
Original Species Name -
  • Sphinx porcellus Linnaeus, 1758
Type Species - Deilephila
  • Sphinx elpenor Linnaeus, 1758
Type Locality -
  • Not Specified
Flight Period: South-May to August : Elsewhere-May to July
Habitat: Calcareous grassland : Heathland : Chalk Downland : Sand-dunes
Similar Species -
  • Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor Linnaeus, 1758
Larva: See Elephant Hawk-moth-larva much the same description but 55mm long instead of 85mm.Larva feeds by night,hiding during the day in plant debris.
Pupa: Pupates in cocoon in plant debris or just below ground
Overwinters as: Pupa
Observations: The moth at first appearance is similar to the Elephant Hawk-moth D.elpenor but is smaller with wing markings in pink and golden yellow as opposed to pink and olive-green.Markings on the abdomen are also different with this moth having pink rings around the abdomen and a pink hairy thorax.

The colours of this beautiful moth make it unique amongst the Hawk-moths and is mistakable in the field.

The moth is attracted to light and is a regular to the moth light trap where they can be seen at times in good numbers.
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 - DEILEPHILA:

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Subspecies:
Animalia
Eumetozoa
Arthropoda
Hexapoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Bombycoidea
Sphingidae
Macroglossinae
Macroglossini
Choerocampina
DEILEPHILA Laspeyres 1809
Deilephila porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
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Sphinx elpenor Linnaeus, 1758
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= Choerocampa porcellus Linnaeus, 1758
SPHINX porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
= lutescens Cockerell, 1887
= clara Tutt, 1904
= hibernica Tutt, 1904
= indistincta Tutt, 1904
= scotica Tutt, 1904
= suffusa Tutt, 1904
= galbana Gillmer, 1910
= flavocincta Wize, 1917
= Metopsilus porcellus colossus A. Bang-Haas, 1906
= Pergesa porcellus porca O. Bang-Haas, 1927
= Pergesa suellus sus O. Bang-Haas, 1927
= wesloeensis Knoch, 1929
= Pergesa suellus rosea Zerny, 1933
= cingulata O. Bang-Haas, 1934)
= Pergesa suellus kuruschi O. Bang-Haas, 1938
= decolor Cockayne, 1953
= warneckei Capuse, 1963
= Deilephila suellus kashgoulii Ebert, 1977
= Pergesa porcellus sinkiangensis Chu & Wang, 1980
= Eumorpha suellus gissarodarvasica Shchetkin, 1981
= sibirica Eitschberger & Zolotuhin, 1992
= songoricus Eitschberger & Lukhtanov, 1996
= Deilephila porcellus colossus
= Deilephila porcellus suellus.
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DEILEPHILA Laspeyres 1809
= Chaerocampa auct.
= Choerocampa Duponchel 1835
= Cinogon Butler 1881
= Dilephila Hampson 1893
= Dilephila Kuznetsova 1906
= Dilophila Agassiz 1846
= Elpenor Agassiz 1846
= Metopsilus Duncan 1836
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Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1 : Title page :  p.492 - n.16
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Not Specified
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D.p.f.lutescens Cockerell,1887-Pink replaced with yelow
D.p.f.indistincta Tutt, 1904-wings have greyish hue
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D.p.colussus Bang-Hass, 1906-North afica-larger,more pink thorax,hindwing black more intense