Large Elephant hawkmoth

Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758)

Distribution. A Trans-Eurasian temperate species, widely distributed in the temperate zone of Eurasia, from Western Europe to Japan. Widespread throughout Ukraine.

Bionomics. A hygro-mesophilic ecotone and meadow species, a characteristic inhabitant of hydrophilous tall herb fringe communities along the shores of water bodies, wet and swampy meadows, lowland swamps, forest edges and clearings, as well as wet ruderal thickets, gardens and vineyards. Mostly univoltine, the adults fly from late May to early August, with peak flight in June-July. In the south and in certain warm years, a partial second generation develops, moths of which fly in August-September. Adults are active at late dusk and at night, feeding on flower nectar. The female, immediately after fertilization, begins to lay eggs – in general, about a hundred eggs, which she lays singly or in pairs from the underside of the leaves of the host plant. Egg development lasts about ten days. The larva appears in June-July and develops until September-October. It can feed on various plants from the Onagraceae, Rubiaceae, and Vitaceae families, but prefers willowherb (Epilobium). It feeds mainly on flowers and seed pods, rarely on leaves. At a younger instar, the caterpillar mostly hides from the underside of the leaves of the food plant, where it is well camouflaged. Instead, in the older one, it is often kept open on the tops of plants. The reason for this is the very characteristic protective coloring and behavioral features. When in danger, the head and three thoracic segments of the caterpillar are retracted into the first and second abdominal segments, which are greatly inflated, accordingly enlarging the eye-like spots on the sides, which effectively scare away potential enemies, primarily birds. Pupation takes place in a strong mesh cocoon in litter on the ground near the forage plant. The pupa hibernates.

Abundance and Conservation. In Ukraine, it is a common species throughout the territory, with a stable, fairly high abundance, which does not cause concern. The species does not require special conservation measures