Regional Species


Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris tityus

Photograph by Tristan Bantock (South Wales)

Photograph by Barry Stewart (South Wales)

Regional Species

This day-flying moth has been recorded at a few localities on the Lleyn Peninsula and Anglesey in the past decade but there seems little doubt that there has been a severe fall in numbers. The habitat requirement is similar to that of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, which of course has also declined drastically.

The adult moth flies in May and June and, as the vernacular name suggests, can easily be confused with a large Bumble Bee. Ova are laid singly on the underside of leaves of the foodplant, Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis). The resulting larvae feed throughout July and August and betray their presence by leaving holes and scallops in the Scabious leaves. (Slugs and snails can also pepper the leaves in a similar fashion but these creatures leave slime trails whereas the Hawk-moth larvae leave dark frass). The larva is recognisable as a Hawk-moth by the horn on the rear end. (See picture).

Further information available from the NW Lepidoptera Database, including access to detailed records, maps, flight-time charts and photographs.