Felixstowe Docks - 15th July 2010

I've been working down on Felixstowe docks all week and apart from Lesser-black Backed, Herring and the odd Black-headed Gull there was nothing much to see until Thursday. The docks was closed due to 60 mph+ winds and I found this Poplar Hawk Moth (Laothoe populi) sheltering in a tool box. As you can see it is well worn and Mike found it difficult to identify for me when I first emailed it to him but after passing on its wing span of approximately 80mm he soon responded with the correct identification. With the wind and sand being blown about I'm supprised it had made it in to the toolbox where it nearly ended up squashed if I had not moved it on to another sheltered spot. I'm not sure how longer it would survive but it had moved on the following morninig when I returned to the area. The Poplar Hawk Moth is the commonest of the UK Hawk Moths and can be found between May and July.
POPLAR HAWK MOTH (LAOTHOE POPULI)

No comments: