Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!


--

On 11/07/2013 22:56, wrote:
Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!


You should see their caterpillars

"David Hill" wrote

vicky wrote:
Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!


You should see their caterpillars

When I was at school there was a very large Privat hedge one one side of the
small local playing field, it was about 10ft high and 100 yards long and
every summer we would look for those huge beautiful caterpillars and the
moths flying about. Don't know if that hedge is still there but considering
the work involved I doubt it. Most people seem to have removed their Privat
for something else with less maintenance.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Bob Hobden wrote:
When I was at school there was a very large Privat hedge one one side of the
small local playing field, it was about 10ft high and 100 yards long and
every summer we would look for those huge beautiful caterpillars and the
moths flying about. Don't know if that hedge is still there but considering
the work involved I doubt it. Most people seem to have removed their Privat
for something else with less maintenance.

That's the odd thing, there is no privet near where I found it - it was
sunbathing on the grass by my bean sticks. If I'd known what it was at
the time (I just had to google* "big pink moth" until I found a photo
that was similar) I'd have taken it to find something suitable to munch.

wrote in news:b48nvuFg8kdU1
@mid.individual.net:

Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!



Moths can get here (to Britain) in cars or caravans even freight from the
continent.
I think that is probably how it got here. It would have nothing to mate
with, and sadly die, and without spreading it's genes.
I am assuming that it is not native here?

Baz

On 12/07/2013 10:37, Baz wrote:
wrote in news:b48nvuFg8kdU1
@mid.individual.net:

Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!



Moths can get here (to Britain) in cars or caravans even freight from the
continent.
I think that is probably how it got here. It would have nothing to mate
with, and sadly die, and without spreading it's genes.
I am assuming that it is not native here?

Baz

They are British natives

On Fri, 12 Jul 2013 11:11:35 +0100, David Hill
wrote:

On 12/07/2013 10:37, Baz wrote:
wrote in news:b48nvuFg8kdU1
@mid.individual.net:

Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!



Moths can get here (to Britain) in cars or caravans even freight from the
continent.
I think that is probably how it got here. It would have nothing to mate
with, and sadly die, and without spreading it's genes.
I am assuming that it is not native here?

Baz

They are British natives

They are indeed and have been recorded over much of southern England
but I have not yet been lucky enough to spot one.
--
rbel

Baz wrote:
I am assuming that it is not native here?

Wikipedia says it's native, I've just never seen one before.

rbel wrote:
They are indeed and have been recorded over much of southern England
but I have not yet been lucky enough to spot one.

I almost accidentally trod on it. Glad I didn't - I think it may have
had my foot off!

On 12 Jul 2013 17:56:49 GMT, wrote:

Wikipedia says it's native, I've just never seen one before.

I knew the Privet Hawk moth was native but didn't know it was *that*
big. Big yes, as in maybe 3" wingspan but not big as in nearly 5"...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 12/07/2013 18:56, wrote:
Baz wrote:
I am assuming that it is not native here?

Wikipedia says it's native, I've just never seen one before.
Thank God for that, doesn't matter what we say as long as Wikipedia says
it's native then it must be.

David Hill wrote:
I am assuming that it is not native here?

Wikipedia says it's native, I've just never seen one before.
Thank God for that, doesn't matter what we say as long as Wikipedia says
it's native then it must be.

Do you have information that contradicts this?

"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 11/07/2013 22:56, wrote:
Saw one of these today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphinx_ligustri

Doesn't look like it's particularly unusual, I've just never seen one
before. It was like a small pink bat!


You should see their caterpillars

I had the Elephant Hawk moth a while ago, and my cat brought some
caterpillars in believing they were mice or something. He has now learnt
that they aren't and doesn't do it now.
They are massive caterpillars and he brought them in mainly unharmed so they
were released.
any cat worth his salt whose job is rat patrol here can be excused about
bringing a huge caterpillar back. Because, tbh, he's a bit of of a wimp
and he only does mice or baby rats fresh out of the nest. But he did get
four baby rats in one day last week, and like I always say It prevents them
growing up.
If they grow up, it's time for the terriers.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.co.uk...
On 12 Jul 2013 17:56:49 GMT, wrote:

Wikipedia says it's native, I've just never seen one before.

I knew the Privet Hawk moth was native but didn't know it was *that*
big. Big yes, as in maybe 3" wingspan but not big as in nearly 5"...


It does not have a 5 inch wingspan although the hawkmoths are large moths
you think they are larger than then are really when you see one.

On Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:25:38 +0100, Christina Websell wrote:

I knew the Privet Hawk moth was native but didn't know it was
*that*
big. Big yes, as in maybe 3" wingspan but not big as in nearly
5"...

It does not have a 5 inch wingspan ...

Wonky pedia and dedicated moth sites give wingsspan up to 120mm or 4
3/4" that's "nearly 5"" in my book. B-)

--
Cheers
Dave.