Pine hawk-moth
The pine hawk-moth (Sphinx pinastri) is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is found in Palearctic ecozone and sometimes the Nearctic ecozone. This species has been found in Scotland but is usually found in England.[1] It is amongst the most common moths in many parts of Europe and the Middle East.
| Sphinx pinastri | |
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| Sphinx pinastri | |
The larvae feed on Scots pine, Swiss pine, Siberian pine and Norway spruce.
Sphinx pinastri's wings are gray with black dashes. The wingspan is 2 3/4 - 3 1/2 inches (7–9 cm).[2] The moth flies from April to August depending on the location.
The back of the thorax is grey with two dark bands around both sides.[3]
The females lay their eggs in groups of 2 or 3 along pine or spruce needles.[2]
Adult caterpillar
Caterpillar
Sphinx pinastri ♂
Sphinx pinastri ♂△
Sphinx pinastri ♀
Sphinx pinastri ♀ △
References
- ↑ The Natural History of British Insects By Edward Donovan (accessed January 12, 2009)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Butterflies and Moths of North America Archived 2007-11-17 at the Wayback Machine (accessed January 12, 2009)
- ↑ The Naturalist's Library edited by William Jardine (accessed January 12, 2009)