Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth

This moth may no longer be present in Kent, having suffered a significant decline in recent years.  Preferring unimproved grassland, bogs and heaths it has all but disappeared from the South East of England. 

 It is clearly an easy moth to confuse with Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth when seen flying in the daytime but does not alight on flowers to feed (like the Bees they mimic).  If netted or seen static the differences are obvious, but the key is to think that if it has thin lines (veins) and less of them then it is Narrow-bordered, and if it has more lines which are thicker then Broad-bordered.  There are also differences in the abdomen if seen well.  Beware that these two species could potentially be confused with Hummingbird Hawk-moth too, but should be fairly simple if seen well.

Privet Hawk-moth

Common and widespread throughout Kent, this large and conspicuous moth flies between May and August.  It is the largest resident moth in the UK and is highly distinctive with only <a href="https://kent-moths.vercel.app/species/agrius-convolvuli">Convolvulus Hawk-moth</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://kent-moths.vercel.app/species/sphinx-pinastri">Pine Hawk-moth</a> bearing any similarities (although an American species caught in Somerset in 1965, the Wild Cherry Sphinx, is very similar indeed, it is highly unlikely to occur in the UK).

  Privet Hawk-moth is a mostly brown and pale moth with a dark/black head and thorax with pink-striped hindwings and abdomen.

Pine Hawk-moth

Thinly distributed across Kent, this attractive moth is most likely to be encountered where the foodplant (Pines of course! - mostly Scots Pine, but not exclusively) is found. As with most Hawk-moths, it is fairly easy to ID, with black markings on the forewings and a black stripe either side of the head being diagnostic.

Kent Moth Group

Pine Hawk-moth

Sphinx pinastri

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