Elephant Hawk Moth
Facts about the Elephant Hawk Moth
Found throughout Europe, Russia and into China, the elephant hawk moth is a spectacular vision of coloration despite its formidable name. It can readily be seen in these areas by anyone having sweet honeysuckle in their garden plots.
There are two types of the elephant hawk moth, a large variety and a small variety. Each is found in all areas of the United Kingdom and most of Europe. The moth itself is a lovely sight; lime to olive green with pinkish red overtones; colors that seem to glisten and shimmer as it moves about its favored food plants of honeysuckle, petunias and valerian. The elephant hawk moth, like most of its family, is almost exclusively visible in the evening hours when it prefers to feed. Unlike many moths, this beauty is more likely to be seen by humans because its food plants are more commonly found in gardens and landscapes rather than the wild.
The elephant hawk moth lays its eggs on a variety of plants that include bedstraw, fuchsias and willowherb. The larvae when hatched are green and brown, with a curved “horn” growing from the end of the body. Their overall appearance is the origin of its name, as the caterpillar has a snout that is similar to that of an elephant’s trunk except in smaller size. Another appearance of the elephant hawk moth caterpillar that is a protection pose is that of a snake. By pulling the trunk inward, their form transforms from that of a large caterpillar to that of a small snake with four big patches resembling eyes around the large head. The caterpillars prefer to do all of their feeding in the evening hours, spending that time to consume huge amounts of plant life. During the day, they remain at the base of their preferred plant.
As the caterpillar matures, it will bury itself into the ground and envelop its body in a chrysalis that is formed using leaf remnants, earth and silk. This process generally occurs around September. It will stay in the soil until early summer arrives; hibernating during the metamorphosing stage. The adult elephant hawk moth will emerge at different times of the year for the different habitat locations; usually between May and July in most of their range, although in China, they can be seen beginning in April. The earlier the adult moth emerges, the more the likelihood of a double brood being produced by a female elephant hawk moth.
Any individual in the moth’s range that possesses a garden that includes sweet smelling honeysuckle and valerian has a good opportunity to see these beautifully decorated creatures, especially during the early evening hours. Glimpses of green and pink flitting amongst the garden flowers could very well mean the presence of the elephant hawk moth.