| Actual Image
Small Elephant Hawk-moth (74)
Argus
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2707 W: 139 N: 7809]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (24333) | This beautiful Hawk Moth was found in our garden today.
The reason this is called an elephant hawk-moth is that when it is in the caterpillar stage the front part moves like an elephant’s trunk, as well as having a pair of large eye markings shown when it stretches itself. These eye markings and the trunk-like movement of the head and the front segments provide a frightening spectacle for the prospective predator.
There are two species, this being the Small Elephant Haw-moth (Deilephila porcellus). Both adult moths are beautifully marked with rosy red and olive greens. With this colour combination they are well camouflaged among the flowers of the Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium), the larval host plant.
It is fairly common in most of Sweden and Europe, but not often seen as it is nocturnal.
The WORKSHOP shows another view.
This was taken with the camera hand-held in the late afternoon sunshine at a distance of about 2 meters. After slight cropping and size reduction the image was selectively sharpened |
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