69.017 BF1992

Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Wingspan 40-45 mm.

Slightly smaller but even more brightly-coloured than its cousin the Elephant Hawk-moth (D. elpenor), it is however more locally distributed, but occurs widely in Britain.

It prefers chalky districts and dry grassy localities, but is found in a range of habitats.

The larvae, which are similar to those of D. elpenor, feed mostly on bedstraw (Galium).