Oct 162016
I have just been looking at the photographs taken last Sunday by Sally at Titchfield Haven. One of the them was of a Convolvulus hawk-moth. It was sitting on the window frame of one of the hides – so Sally took the photograph through the glass. At the time I assumed it was a privet hawk (my excuse is that the window glass was very dirty!) but I have just checked – a Convolvulus hawk-moth!
It is a migrant species to Britain from Europe and is quite rare. Sally and I have never seen one before anyway! So we had migrant wheatears and chiffchaffs and now a moth. You may have seen the recent television programme on the painted lady butterfly. Why does the Convolvulus hawk moth come to Britain?
You can find out more about the moth here
Malcolm
2 Responses to “Titchfield Haven Revisited”
Comments (2)
Great find! I’ve only ever seen one before and that had been light trapped at Dungeness.
My guess as to why they migrate is that convolvulus or bindweed appears to have gone a bit mad this year and they’re attracted to where it is by scent?
We’ve had loads of it in the garden this year – much more than usual. Most migration is driven by food so perhaps this is why they’re turning up.
Good find Sally!