Gnophos obscuratus (D. & S.) The Annulet
p128. Vagrant, very rare; one record only (at Boreham near Chelmsford, 1928) *.
Siona lineata (Scop.) (Idaea lineata) Black-veined Moth
p136. No recent record.
Aspitates gilvaria (D. & S.) Straw Belle
p136. No recent record.
Aspitates ochrearia (Rossi) Yellow Belle
p129. Resident, local; locally fairly common; southern and eastern, particularly along coast and
estuaries.
Dyscia fagaria (Thunb.) Grey Scalloped Bar
Vagrant, very rare; one record only. 48 Forest Gate, 13 July 1915 (HWF). We are indebted to Mrs
L.M.Phillips for the following information concerning this record: her late husband (J.W.Phillips)
was a friend of HWF who was killed towards the end of the 1914-18 war. He inherited HWF's
collection which, unfortunately, was destroyed during the 1939-45 war. However, he also inherited
HWF's six volumes of 'nature notes', including two on Lepidoptera, which reveal that the moth was
taken by HWF in his garden in the evening.
SPHINGIDAE
The unmistakable hawk-moths are medium-sized to very large moths with stout bodies and narrow
forewings that have acute apical angles. The haustellum is usually very long - although the three
common tree-feeding species have a reduced haustellum and cannot feed as adults. Several species
are migratory and the humming-bird and bee hawk-moths are diurnal. The larvae are stout and
hairless and possess a posterior horn that is conspicuous in almost all species. All species are
oligophagous and overwinter as subterranean pupae. The 17 British species include nine residents and
eight migrants; all have been recorded in Essex although the two day-flying residents are now almost
certainly extinct as breeding species in the county.
Agrius convolvuli (Linn.) ( Herse convolvuli ) Convolvulus Hawk-moth
p38. Migrant, usually scarce or very scarce; occasionally fairly widespread at low density. Large
immigration 1976; substantial ones 1982 and 1983.
Acherontia atropos (Linn.) Death's Head Hawk-moth
p38. Migrant, formerly regular and not uncommon in some years; now irregular and generally very
scarce or rare; significant immigration 1984.
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