SPHINGINAE.........Hawkmoths

1972 Convolvulus Hawk-moth Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)

There are 14 old records all before 1965(Collinson)including one in Halifax in 1881(J.Ogden)

1973 Death's-head Hawk-moth Acherontia atropos (Linnaeus, 1758)

There are 19 old records (Collinson)including 1 in Halifax 1883 (D.Baxendale) and 1 in Hebden Bridge (S.Gibson)

1979 Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae (Linnaeus, 1758)

Occasional April – July.

Samual Gibson took two in 1863 and remarked ‘rarely seen’ and not recorded again up to 1965.(Collinson)

Recorded at light  between the 24^th April and 11^th July .

Larvae found in poplars around the Halifax General Hospital  September 2009(CS)

1980 Eyed Hawk-moth Smerinthus ocellata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Two old records from 1863 and 19595

1 recent record from Todmorden on the 25^th June 2006.(BL)

1 at Elland by the Canal 16 May 2007(CS)

1981 Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded at light between 3^rd  May and 23^rd  August.

1 at Moor End Gardens, Pellon on 2^nd and another on 6^th July 2001.

1 at Moor End Gardens, Pellon on 18^th and another on 22^nd July 2002.

3 recorded at Moor End Gardens between 30^th May and 7^th July 2003.

Macroglossinae

1984 Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum (Linnaeus, 1758)

This migrant species can be sometimes absent for years and then an influx of `10+ can occour as in 2005 and 2006

1 at Todmorden on 9^th June 2005.

1 at Moor End Gardens, Pellon on 31^st August 2005.

1 at Todmorden on 6 –10  September 2005.

2006 was a bumber year with individuals reported from Hebden Bridge(2),Midgley(1),Sowerby Bridge(3),Northowram(2)  and Manor Heath (4).

1987 Bedstraw Hawk-moth Hyles gallii (Rottemburg, 1775)

4 in Sowerby Bridge in 1889(Collinson)including one on the 18^th August (Walter Copley)

Larvae found in Todmorden in 1971 which emerged on the 24^th June 1972(Collinson)

1990 Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica (Esper, 1779)

1865 larve reported by Samuel Gibson in Hebden Bridge(Collinson and in Entomologists Annu.,1866 p151)

1991 Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded at light between 6^th May and 2^nd August.Larvae found at Hedge Top lane,Cromwell bottom and areas of Rose bay willowherb. To find these large caterpillars: Go to a patch of Rosebay Willowherb late afternoon or evening when the sun is shining. Kneel down on the outside of the patch looking upwards through the patch of Rosebay towards the sun. If any are on that patch you will spot them as a silhouette hanging on the plant. For some reason they seem to like to sunbathe in the late afternoon sun, probably to speed up their development. This is an infallible way to find the caterpillars on just about any patch of Rosebay

1992 Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Recorded at light throughout the area  between 16^th May and 23^rd July and increaseing.1 found dead(cat victim)at Daisy Bank, Halifax on 28^th June .2001

Number of individual Hawkmoths caught at light in Calderdale1999 -2009

	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Pop Hawk	61	60	39	31	21	21	9	6	29	25	25
Lime Hawk	2	7	8	8	1	2	3	4	3	2	2
El Hawk	25	47	14	18	13	12	7	7	6	10	9
Sm El Hawk	6	7	12	10	3	3	23	33	30	3	4

1993 Silver-striped Hawk-moth Hippotion celerio (Linnaeus, 1758)

A good specimen at Halifax 1^st October 1892 (E.Halliday in YNUNaturalist ,Nov 1892 p339)Porritts list.