Sphingidae : Macroglossinae
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Similar Herts & Middlesex Species
Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris fuciformis
Humming-bird Hawk-moth
Macroglossum stellatarum
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Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris tityus

(Linnaeus, 1758) 1982 / 69.008

General Notes:
Extinct. No records since the 1950s.

Hertfordshire Notes: Griffith (1884) lists Macroglossum bombyliformis, without any authority name, for the Sandridge district. The specific epithet bombyliformis has been applied to both the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (bombyliformis sensu Esper) and the Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (bombyliformis sensu Ochsenheimer). Griffith purports to be following names in the checklist by Doubleday (1862) which presents the two species as:

FuciformisBombyliformis
Fuciformis, Linn.Bombyliformis, Esp.
Bombyliformis, Och.Fuciformis, Steph.

It was presumably on this basis that Foster (1937) included Griffith's record under the heading of fuciformis (Linnaeus) - Doubleday's 'Fuciformis' and hence the Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. However, all of Foster's other 'bomyliformis Esp.' records are from woodlands (indicating that Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth was intended) and all his records of 'fuciformis Linn.' are away from woodland in sites where Devil's-bit Scabious is likely to have been present at that time (indicating Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth). Griffith's Sandridge area was '- a district six miles long by 2 miles wide, having the village of Sandridge at about its middle point', if we assume that 'wide' means east-west, then the area is almost entirely open countryside, though probably included Symondshyde Great Wood. It is not at all clear which species Griffith intended. Thus, our earliest records of Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth in Hertfordshire are from Welwyn, one in 1888 (Buller), near Tring Station, one taken and two others seen, 29th May 1922 (Croft), Royston Heath, one in 1922 (G. V. Bull), Hexton, one seen 28 May 1922 (Palmer), Graveley, one on 3rd June 1923 (Easton), Hitchin, one in the porch of the Victoria Inn, 21/2 miles up Bedford Road, 28th July 1924 (Buller) and Hexton, one at Arabis, 1934 (Whiteman). These are all listed by Foster (1927). A single specimen 'caught on wing mid day, May 1940, Fulling Mill Welwyn' by Roger Ferry is in the Mill Green Museum (seen by me). Fryer (1948) recorded an example at Essendon by L. S. Hodson in 1946. Bell (1954) notes two caught in Rothamsted Manor Gardens by J. B. Free in 1952. These were apparently reported to Bell by C. B. Williams, but there is no evidence to suggest that Williams, whose identification abilities were impeccable, ever saw the specimens. This latter record is, therefore, treated as unconfirmed.

Middlesex Notes: Extinct. Our single report is from the Ruislip area in 1955, from one of the now much-degraded ancient woodlands in that area.

Retained Specimen / Photograph will be Required.

Recorded in 9 (22%) of 41 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1888.
Last Recorded in 1955.
Additional Stats

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List Species Records   [Show All Latest]
Latest 5 Records
Date#VC10k Area
1955121TQ08 - Uxbridge
1948+20TL30 - Hoddesdon / Cheshunt
1946120TL20 - Potters Bar
1944+20TL12 - Hitchin (S) / Whitwell
1944+20TL12 - Hitchin (S) / Whitwell
Show Details | 1990 to 2023 | 2000 to 2023 | Graph Key
Express Record Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
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VC20 VC21 VC21 VC20
Click Map for Details
Forewing: 18-21mm.
Flight: One generation May-July.
Foodplant:   Devil's-bit Scabious, Small and Field Scabious
Red List: Least Concern (LC)
BAP Status: Priority Species
Former Status: Nationally Scarce B
Verification Grade:  Adult: 3
 Immature Adult   [Show Flight Weeks]
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