69.006 BF1976  –  Sphingidae –  Sphinginae – Sphinx ligustri – Privet Hawk-moth Adult Macro:  CAT 1 – Distinctive species unlikely to be confused with others –       PDF Icon – click for Adult Macro Verification Guidelines

Green –  Rare / Uncommon / Scarce   
Taxonomy:   Macro   >>  Sphingidae  >> Sphinginae
ID Difficulty:  green  – easy to identify, generally distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species.
ID pointers: A very large moth, that is unmistakable. The forewings are dark chocolate brown, with a pale clouded appearance on the leading edge. Black & pink abdomen and blackish thorax.
Distribution:  No records since 1900, until an adult was found in a garden in Long Eaton 2014. Further casual records continued until this one appeared in a garden in Sandiacre June 2017. A second specimen on 8th July 2017 trapped in same Sandiacre garden. Small population in this area. The Privet Hawk-moth was thought to be extinct in the county, but is now being trapped with more regularity in recent years, especially in the south and central areas of the county, but still very localised.
Flight Period: June /  July /  –  Usually found during June & July. One generation. Sometimes found at rest during the day, especially after emerging, on vertical surfaces, such as tree trunks and post Moth Activity: Nocturnal   – and is attracted to light Photographed: Yes –  Photographed By: Tony Davison, Ian Viles, Emily Milnes  © All Rights Reserved
*** Last updated on 2 October 2025 by RP ***
Forewing: 41-55mm Food Plant: Wild and garden Privet
Last Recorded By – Not Recorded
Last Recorded General Area – Not Recorded

Selected Images:  Sandiacre, Derbyshire – Image by Ian Viles © , Sandiacre, Derbyshire – July 1st 2023 – Tony Davison© / Sandiacre (2025) Emily Milnes©

 
 


 

Distribution Map for Sphinx ligustri

Found 88 records
    ↳ 6 from After 2025
    ↳ 48 from 2020 - 2024
    ↳ 34 from Before 2020
Flying
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

If the Map Layers function fails, just refresh the page and it should be OK after. Use the +- zoom on the top left, or on a tablet, use two fingers to zoom. Remember, the last layer you ticked is the one which displays the popup information - they sit on top of each other - de-select then re-select, to see the popup values.

Bedrock Geology ** indirectly affects moth distribution by influencing the type of habitat and food plants available in an area. In turn, this may affect the types of moths that can thrive, or where they can most likely be found.


NBN Atlas UK Distribution for – Sphinx ligustri

⚠️ Please wait for the map to load fully – do not click the link shown.


Note – the NBN Atlas datasets are listed in the map below and vary in their currency (uptodateness) – however, the map does give a general indication of the moth's distribution across the UK.

Visit NBN Site


Monthly Records By Year: Sphinx ligustri
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Monthly Counts By Year: Sphinx ligustri
( data is based on 'Adult' stage records only. )


First/Last Recorded Dates: Sphinx ligustri
Adult-only & Anything [Larvae, Pupae, Adult, Mines]

Shading shows moth presence between dates

Click the colour discs below to Select/De-select as Required

Recordings By Year: Sphinx ligustri
( All data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )
Annual Growth Rate (AGR): Sphinx ligustri
AGR: 0%   |   Total % Change: 0%


CUSUM Analysis: Sphinx ligustri
About this chart: CUSUM (Cumulative Sum) charts track long-term trends in moth populations [ filtered by 'Adult' and 'Mine' life stages ] by showing whether each year’s counts are above or below the historical average. Even small shifts build up over time, making trends of growth, stability, or decline easier to see. CUSUM highlights trend-consistency — asking: “Across the years, have moth counts mostly stayed above or below average?”
The data sample has 14 gap year/s here (zero records) between 2000 and 2025. The moth may have been present in those gap years, but no data was available. Too many year-gaps may exaggerate or skew the chart.

Counts for the current year (2025) are pro-rated based on data available up to month 8 (August) to provide a full-year equivalent.

Purple line rises = years better than average; falls = years worse than average.
Peak (best year) Trough (worst year) Growth periods Decline periods
Population peaked around 2022, reaching above average levels. The lowest population point occurred near 2017, showing a significant decline.

What the Y-axis "Cumulative Deviation" means: Cumulative Deviation shows the running total of how each year’s moth population count differs from the long-term average. i

Hectad (10kmx10km) Coverage: Sphinx ligustri
( data includes both Larvae and Adult Stages )

Flight Periods – Indicative –vs– Recorded Data
Sphinx ligustri
( data includes Adult Stage only )

Flight Period chart – the grey hatched area above, which can cross one or more months, pictorially represents the best guess we have for this moth's flight periods [month/s]. The coloured lines represent the actual months seen in flight, from site observation records received between 2020-2025.

Records Behind the Map and Charts - Sphinx ligustri – 88 records available

Listed by Year - descending - scroll across to see all table columns

Site NameTetradDateCountStageSource
DWT Wyver LaneSK35K03/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P12/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, DerbyshireSK33A25/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, DerbyshireSK33A27/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern, DerbyshireSK33A30/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
Chaddesden, DerbySK33T19/06/20251adultvc57_irecords_extract
StonebroomSK45E08/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
SandiacreSK43S02/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
SandiacreSK43S14/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
StonebroomSK45E19/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Sandiacre gardenSK43S14/07/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Sandiacre GardenSK43S24/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
Sandiacre GardenSK43T08/06/20241adultvc57_irecords_extract
GlapwellSK46T10/08/20231larvavc57_irecords_extract
Forbes Hole LNRSK43W10/08/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R21/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
SandiacreSK43T01/07/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Findern GardenSK33A07/07/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Church Lane, Sheffield, England, GBSK38A09/06/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Marlborough Road, Long Eaton, DerbysSK43X10/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Wensleydale Road, Long EatonSK43R17/06/20231adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X10/06/20231Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long EatonSK43W03/07/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R01/07/20222Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R16/07/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X08/07/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton , Wensleydale RoadSK43R16/06/20223adultvc57_irecords_extract
Sandiacre, Longmoor LaneSK43T17/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Staveveley DerbyshireSK47H20/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R12/06/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R15/06/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R17/06/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R25/06/20222Adultvc57_irecords_extract
SandiacreSK43T14/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
SandiacreSK43T15/06/20221adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R28/05/20221Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Not givenSK43W09/07/20211Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R02/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X03/07/20211Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P14/07/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Allestree, DerbySK33P19/07/20212adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R11/06/20213adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R15/06/20211adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X05/06/20212Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X21/05/20211Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Elgar Drive, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R15/05/20211adultDanes_2019-2021
Vanguard Rd, Long EatonSK43W13/07/20201adultDanes_2019-2021
Woodland AveSK43R02/06/20203adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R08/06/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R30/06/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X19/06/20201Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Elgar Drive, Sawley, Long EatonSK43R10/06/20202adultDanes_2019-2021
Woodland AveSK43R25/05/20201adultvc57_irecords_extract
Woodland AveSK43R30/05/20203adultvc57_irecords_extract
Risley Rd, RisleySK43S15/09/20191larvaDanes_2019-2021
Ennerdale Road, Long EatonSK43S21/08/20191pre-adultvc57_irecords_extract
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X07/07/20191Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X09/07/20191Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X05/07/20191Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X21/07/20191Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Back Lane, GlapwellSK46T01/07/20191adultDanes_2019-2021
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X30/06/20192Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X23/06/20191Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X30/06/20192adultDanes_2019-2021
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X23/06/20191adultDanes_2019-2021
Briar Close, Newhall, SwadlincoteSK22V05/06/20191adultDanes_2019-2021
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X14/06/20182Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Pleasley Pit CP, PleasleySK46X10/06/20171Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Long Eaton Gravel PitsSK53A13/06/20161adultvc57_irecords_extract
Long EatonSK53A13/06/20161Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Long Eaton - Marlborough RoadSK43X27/06/20141Adultvc57_irecords_extract
Marlborough Rd,Long EatonSK43X27/06/20141Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Marlborough Rd, Long EatonSK43X24/08/20131Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Norton Park Crescent, Norton, SheffieldSK38K14/09/20111Pupaevc57_danes_bc_data
Poolsbrook, Staveley (site not precise)SK47G08/06/20001Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Sandcliffe Rd, Midway, SwadlincoteSK32A01/01/19741Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Poolsbrook, Staveley (site not precise)SK47G08/06/19001Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Mickleover, Derby (site not precise)SK33C01/01/18901Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Stapenhill, Burton on TrentSK22K01/01/18851Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Findern, Derby (site not precise)SK33A01/01/18851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Stapenhill, Burton on TrentSK22K01/01/18851Larvaevc57_danes_bc_data
Findern, Derby (site not precise)SK33A01/01/18851Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B01/01/18781Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Burton on Trent area (site not precise)SK22K01/01/18631Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Derby (site not precise)SK33L01/01/18291Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Repton (site not precise)SK32B01/01/18001Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Mickleover, Derby (site not precise)SK33C01/01/18001Adultvc57_danes_bc_data
Derby (site not precise)SK33L01/01/18001Adultvc57_danes_bc_data

Scroll to Top