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Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Agrius convolvuli (Linnaeus, 1758)
Sphingidae: Sphinginae
1972 / 69.004
Photo © Roger Millard,  Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire (10/09/22)

Similar Herts & Middlesex Species
Privet Hawk-moth
Sphinx ligustri
Forewing: 50-55mm.
Flight: One generation June-Dec. (mostly Aug-Nov)
Foodplant:   Bindweed and other Convolvulaceae.
Red List:
GB Status: Immigrant
Verification Grade:  Adult: 2

General comments:
Former uncommon/irregular immigrant. In the present millennium has become a regular immigrant, expected annually and usually in raised number.

Hertfordshire Notes:
Plant (2008) list records available to the end of 2006, as follows: Cheshunt, September 1859 - 'my nephew W. Boyd of Cheshunt, Herts, caught in his garden, within the first fortnight of this month, ten specimens of S. convolvuli' (Gaviller, 1859. Entomologist's Weekly Intelligencer : 3; Sandridge area, three in 1874 (Griffith, 1884); Hitchin, three in 1875 (Cottam, Transactions of the Watford Natural History Society : 108). It is interesting to note that Cottam was prompted to write the Note because the Meteorological Society had '- requested that occasional appearances in considerable numbers, of insects usually scarce, should be noted with a view to elucidation of seasonal phenomena -'. The ignorance at that date of immigration by moths is evident; Watford, 1875 at least eight (A. Cottam, Transactions of the Watford Natural History Society : 108 and Entomologist's Monthly Magazine : 139); 'A fine female of this insect was brought to me on 15th September [1883]; it was taken at rest on a door plate. S. convolvuli occurs here [Hitchin] and at Baldock nearly every year' (Hartley, Entomologist : 235); Cheshunt, by A. Gaviller (W. C. Boyd, Entomologist's Intelligencer : 3); Cumberland Road, St. Albans, September 1887 (Gibbs. 1893); St Albans, 1888 (Gibbs, 1889); Hitchin, 26th September 1895 (S. H. Spencer); Cheshunt area, 1900, (W. C. Boyd); Walkern, 1940, (J. Birdsall); Bishops Stortford, 1945 - ' - though not so commonly as in 1944; four or five moths were recorded in the town and a caterpillar was found in a garden; quite an event!'; Arkley, 12th October 1953 (SLENHS 1953-: 32); Bishops Stortford, one on 26 August 1954 (C. Craufurd); Bishops Stortford, one on 8 October 1959 (C. Craufurd); Berkhamsted, one on a lamp-post taken by Mrs H. H. S. Hayward (Bell, 1961); Tring, two in September 1960 by A. L. Goodson (Bell, 1962); Welwyn, one found dead in 1976 by Peter Waterton (Bell, 1977); Warren Way, Digswell, 14 September 1976, (T. W. Gladwin); Cowheath Wood, August 1977, (D. Webster); Furneux Pelham (village), 22 September 1991, (P. Jenner); Latimer Close, Hemel Hempstead, 10 Oct 1995, (M. Newland); Lyndsey Close, Bishops Stortford, 13 Oct 1995, (J. Fish); The Manse, Little Hadham, 1999, (G. Senior); Quickswood, 31 August 2001, (Dug Heath); Quickswood, 22 September 2001, (Dug Heath); Gubblecote, Long Marston, 14 August 2003, (Peter Bygate); Quickswood, 19 August 2003, (Ellie May); Shenley, 30 August 2003, (Bill & Pearl Page); Quickswood, 16 September 2003, (Dug Heath); Bishops Stortford, 20 September 2003, (John Horrocks); Hitchin, 16 July 2005, (Angus Kindley); Pentley Park, Welwyn Garden City, July 2005, (Tim Hill); Anstey, 07 November 2005, (George Martin); Whitelands Avenue, Chorleywood, 16 September 2006, (Richard Ellis); Yorke Road, Croxley Green, 16 September 2006, (Colin Grant); Shenley, 16 September 2006, (Bill and Pearl Page); Hemel Hempstead, 19 September 2006, (F. Tuck); Harpenden (RIS trap 475), 23 September 2006, (Phil Gould) and High Street, Hunsdon, 23 September 2006, (Sue Staniforth).

Since 2006, a further 24 sightings have been registered from 2012 to 2022, inclusive.

Middlesex Notes:
Of the 20 Middlesex records for which data are available, no less than 16 relate to the years 2003 to 2022 - mirroring the increase detected in Herfordshire.

Recorded in 29 (71%) of 41 10k Squares.
First Recorded in 1887.
Last Recorded in 2023.

Latest Records
Date#VC10k - General Area
01/10/2023120TL22 - Stevenage
24/09/2023220TL11 - Harpenden / Wheathampstead
18/09/2023120TL11 - Harpenden / Wheathampstead
16/09/2023120TL13 - Hitchin (N)
16/09/2023120TL11 - Harpenden / Wheathampstead
16/09/2023120TL23 - Letchworth / Baldock
16/09/2023120TL21 - Welwyn Garden City
28/10/2022120SP91 - Tring
12/09/2022120TL34 - Royston (S)
11/09/2022120TL23 - Letchworth / Baldock
Further info: Agrius convolvuli
 
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