Huge moth is discovered in South Downs National Park
Volunteers were amazed when they discovered the UK’s largest resident species of moth while doing a litter-pick.
The privet hawk-moth, which has a large wingspan of up to 12cm, was spotted at Benfield Local Nature Reserve, near Hove.
While the privet moth is a common species, Sally Wadsworth, Chair of Benfield Wildlife and Conservation Group, said they are not spotted often.
The privet hawk-moth is often identified by its pink and black striped abdomen and flies between the months of June and July.
They are known as the “gentle giants” of the moth world and feed on the nectar of night-scented flowers such as honeysuckle and jasmine.
Sally said: “My volunteer team were amazed to find this beautiful moth on our reserve – they are so striking and very large. I think it had just hatched out.
“We were also treated to two common lizards who popped up onto their hawthorn tree stump to have a bit of a sunbathe.”
Benfield Wildlife and Conservation Group is a dedicated group of volunteers who look after the 29-acre Benfield Hill LNR, the first designated nature reserve in Brighton and Hove, on behalf of the council.
The team can be found every week in the winter removing invasive scrub from the rare chalk grassland habitat. In the spring and summer the volunteers do reserve tidy-ups, as well as a range of walks and surveys.
Each month their numbers are boosted by volunteers from the Stanmer Eastern Team from the South Downs National Park Authority.
This enables the team to ensure that the reserve continues to be pristine chalk grassland with myriads of orchids in spring and summer and a host of chalk grassland indicator species, such as the adonis blue and the chalkhill blue butterfly.