Privet Hawk Moths
Privet hawk moths (Sphinx ligustri), as the name suggests, often live in the vicinity of privet hedges. However, privet is a fast growing and resilient bush and the caterpillars of the privet hawk moth rarely cause serious problems. Both the moths and their caterpillars are large with distinctive markings. Does this Spark an idea?
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Distribution
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Privet hawk moths have a wide range that extends across all of north and central Europe and Asia. Its range reaches as far as the southern part of the UK, the far eastern part of China and North Africa. They favor the forest habitat.
Physical Characteristics
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Adults are large, chunky moths with wingspans of up to 4 inches. In the Asian part of their range, the moths tend to be slightly bigger than in the European part. They have markings in various shades of gray, brown and pink. The caterpillars are usually a bright green with a series of pink and white stripes along their bodies. Occasionally the caterpillars are purple. They have horns on their tails -- an adaptation developed to confuse predators on which end on the caterpillar is the head. The eggs are also usually green, and occasionally are purple.
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Host Plants
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Along with the eponymous privet, the caterpillars of this species also feed on holly, honeysuckle and rose leaves, with records showing them occasionally eating numerous other species of plants.
Life Cycle
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The adult moths are on the wing during the summer, with the exact months dependent on the region and climate. They mate and the females lay eggs one at a time on suitable host plants. After hatching, the caterpillars grow quickly and pupate underground. This species overwinters in the pupae stage with the adult moths emerging the following year.
Relationship With Humans
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Privet hawk moths are not serious pests. Because the females scatter their eggs over a wide area, large numbers of caterpillars are rarely found on a single bush. Therefore, they are unlikely to strip, or even noticeably damage, garden or agricultural plants. The species also does not appear to be endangered, although some local populations may have been affected by habitat destruction. In the garden, if you find a privet hawk moth caterpillar on a plant, the best solution is simple to move it to a larger plant of the same species. Other control methods are unlikely to be necessary.
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