Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth feeding on Erinus alpinus in the garden of Celia and Walter Sawyer on Monday 18th May 2020. ©2020 - 2024 Celia and Walter Sawyer.
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris tityus (69.008)
Classified as extinct in Warwickshire.
Walter Sawyer and his wife Celia spotted the Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth pictured above feeding on Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus) in their garden at Long Compton on Monday 18th May 2020 at about 4.30pm. It is one of only a handful of records in the region and the first reported sighting of this species in Warwickshire for almnost a century.
The previous last record for Warwickshire was on 10th June 1936 at Tanworth-in-Arden. The Victoria County History Records suggest that the species was also seen prior to 1904 at Chalcot Woods, Knowle, Umberslade, Waverley Wood and Rugby.
The Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth is usually on the wing in June.
Please note: From February 2023 all sightings records should be submitted via the iRecord Butterflies app available via the iTunes or Google Store. Find out more here: iRecord at Butterfly Conservation.