| Actual Image
"Pink Elephant" (76)
uleko
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2981 W: 162 N: 905]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (2673) | Large Elephant Hawkmoth – Deilephila elpenor
This striking Hawkmoth has a wing-span of about 50-70 mm. It is fairly common in gardens in the southern part of Sweden where it seeks nectar late in the evening on fragrant flowers such as Honeysuckle. At the moment we have two species of Honeysuckle (Lonicera) flowering in our garden and in the pine forest around us there’s also plenty of wild Honeysuckle. In the wild it is found in flower-rich meadows and the main food plants of the larvae are Epilobium augustifolium and Gallium verum.
Its name would seem to refer to its large size but rather comes from its big larva (70-80 mm long), the anterior of which resembles the shape of a trunk-like snout.
The family name Deilephila comes from the Greek where deile = afternoon and -philos = loving.
I've posted a view of the upper side in the WORKSHOP!
(Source – The Encyclopaedia of the Swedish Flora and Fauna)
(Sw.name - Större Snabelsvärmare) |
|
