Sphingidae : Macroglossinae
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Photo © Ben Sale,  Las Descargues, SW France (12/08/17)

Similar Herts & Middlesex Species
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris tityus
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Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris fuciformis

(Linnaeus, 1758) 1983 / 69.009

General notes:
Extinct in Middlesex; probably extinct in Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire species of Conservation Concern. Formerly resident at the Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve complex, but no reports since 1986. To be formally extinct it must have been absent for 50 plus years in spite of appropriate searching. It is unlikely to remain but small areas of possibly suitable habitat do persist. Specialist searching might just pay off.

Hertfordshire Notes: Nomenclatural confusion is discussed under the last species. The Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth was formerly resident in the Broxbourne Woods complex, much of which is now a National Nature Reserve. Unfortunately, it no longer appears to be present. Ignoring the confusing Sandridge record by Griffith (1884), the first certain report appears in the Haileybury School list (Bowyer, 1888). Gibbs (1893) reports it from Wormley in 1892 - 'Mr H. Warner, of Wormley, says that the broad-bordered bee clearwing moth (S. fuciformis) is to be taken in his neighbourhood. It seems to be very local, and is generally found in one particular swampy spot at the road-side, but it also frequents the woods where the bugle is plentiful'. Foster (1937) also lists Broxbourne Common in 1920 and 1921 (G. V. Bull) 'larvae plentiful' (Edelsten) and Broxbourne Woods (Boyd). In more recent times, the moth has been confined to restricted areas of the Broxbourne Woods complex, where it was a resident of some of the cleared areas before regrowth with conifers. Thus, in 1973 it was fairly common at the Brickendon end of Hoddesdonpark Wood (Jim Reid) and on 27th May 1974 (P. Waterton) and August 1977 (D. Webster) it was also recorded in Cowheath Wood. The last record appears to be a sighting on 15th June 1986, when by Ian Johnson saw one feeding on Ragged Robin during a Ruislip Natural History Society field trip to the Broxbourne Woods complex. The identity was confirmed during a repeat visit the next day with Kathleen and Philip Stead. A record from the Tring area given in Foster (1937) might suggest another focus for the species, but the precise locality and the date are obscure and it is possible that this report relates to misidentified Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, which was present in that area at the time the record was probably made. This record is omitted from the distribution map for the time being.

Middlesex Notes: Absent/extinct. As with the preceding species, our single report is from the Ruislip area, probably from one of the now much-degraded ancient woodlands in that area.

Recorded in 5 (12%) of 41 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1887.
Last Recorded in 1977.
Additional Stats

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List Species Records   [Show All Latest]
Latest 5 Records
Date#VC10k Area
August 1977120TL30 - Hoddesdon / Cheshunt
27/05/1974120TL30 - Hoddesdon / Cheshunt
1973120TL30 - Hoddesdon / Cheshunt
1971+20TL30 - Hoddesdon / Cheshunt
1970+20TL30 - Hoddesdon / Cheshunt
Show Details | 1990 to 2023 | 2000 to 2023 | Graph Key
Express Record Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
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VC20 VC21 VC21 VC20
Click Map for Details
Forewing: 20-24mm.
Flight: One generation May-July.
Foodplant:   Honeysuckles and Snowberry
Red List: Least Concern (LC)
GB Status: Common
Former Status: Nationally Scarce B
Verification Grade:  Adult: 2
 Immature Adult   [Show Flight Weeks]
© hertsmiddxmoths.uk 2024 NOLA®; Database using MapMate® Digital Maps © Bartholomew 2010. Design © Jim Wheeler 2024
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