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Moths can be bewildering in their variety to the uninitiated - this is perhaps part of their charm - mysterious creatures that (mainly) come out at night and most people never get to see them. Many dismiss moths as clumsy, brown things that blunder into rooms through open windows on hot summer nights, or dash headlong into car headlights as one drives through country roads...

The truth is far more interesting. There are some spectacular species in this country, and on this page I'll aim to provide a few pointers if you're unsure where to start looking on this site. If you can't find what you're looking for, please drop me a line (if you don't see a link , go to the Home page) or enjoy searching the site.

By far the commonest group I get asked about are the hawk-moths. Large, fast-flying moths at night, during the day they tend to hang around quite passively; either way, they are hard to miss. The following are a few of the commonest:

Lime Hawk-moth, found in early summer - wingspan 55-70mm.

Poplar Hawk-moth, flying throughout summer - wingspan 65-90mm, with the habit of displaying its hindwings above it's forewings

Privet Hawk-moth, one of the largest species in this country, with a wingspan of 90-120mm. Shows vivid pink hindwings when disturbed.

Elephant Hawk-moth, our most common hawk-moth and often noticed with its colourful pink and green livery. Wingspan 45-60mm.

Bee- and Hummingbird Hawk-moths, often mistaken for hummingbirds! Small, fast-moving species that hover in front of flowers, feeding on nectar. The species shown in the photograph is the rare Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, but it is far more likely to encounter the Hummingbird Hawk-moth in your garden.

Other Hawk-moth species can be found by browsing the Sphingidae page.

Swallow-tailed Moth, one of our most spectacular geometer moths, about 4cm across.

Brimstone Moth, an easily recognized bright yellow species sometimes seen by day resting in the undergrowth.

The Cinnabar, brightly coloured and day-flying, it's boldly-marked yellow-and-black caterpillars feed on Ragwort.

Angle Shades, resembles a dead leaf. A common moth which can be found virtually throughout the year, but more common in autumn.

Scarlet Tiger, a spectacular and exotic day-flying moth associated with rivers and wet areas.

Garden Tiger, another distinctive 'tiger' moth, formerly commonly seen in gardens as it's name suggests, but less often seen nowadays.

Caterpillars

Elephant Hawk-moth, so-called because the caterpillar is supposed to resemble the trunk of an elephant! The caterpillars feed on willowherbs and bedstraws.

The Cinnabar, boldly-marked yellow-and-black caterpillars feeding on Ragwort.

The Mullein, blue, yellow and black caterpillars which can be common on mullein plants in gardens and verges.