Elephant Hawkmoths

Last night, I caught an Elephant Hawkmoth, which I have seen many times in my moth trap. However, there was also a similar but much smaller hawkmoth, which I was delighted to identify as a Small Elephant Hawkmoth, of which there is just one previous Islay record - one seen by Becky at Killinallan in 2011. The only other record in this area is one in north Jura in 2004.
The tubes the moths were photographed in are the same size, which nicely demonstrates the difference in their sizes.
Malcolm

Elephant Hawkmoth

Small Elephant Hawkmoth

Elephant Hawk Moth - Deilephila elpenor

Last week I was very excited about finding a Small Elephant Hawk Moth at Killinallan. Now I'm pretty sure this is an Elephant Hawk Moth (its larger, less colourful relative). It was attracted to the Trust's moth trap which I put out last night. This is not so rare as its smaller cousin, but I was still very excited and pleased to see it fly like the wind when I released it after photographing it. Becky

Flora and Fauna at Killinallan 20th June 2011

Here's the list and what a list today! We had five folk on our ramble, each enthusiastic and it was encouraging to see new species of orchids appearing, my first sighting of Common Blue for the year (freshly emerged and pristine) and most of all, the Small Elephant Hawk Moth, which is a first for me, as was the Sexton Beetle. Thanks to all for their contributions. Do let me know if I've missed anything off. I suspect there may be some jealous eyes reading this now!
Becky

Small Elephant Hawk Moth (Deilephila porcellus)

Common Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus vespilloides)

Common Blue male (Polyommatus icarus) Look at the detail on the antennae!

Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride)

BIRDS
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull
Meadow Pipit
Skylark
Pheasant
Oystercatcher
Redshank
Rock Dove
Cormorant

FLORA
Eyebright
Early Marsh Orchid
Northern Marsh Orchid
Pyramidal Orchid
Heath Spotted Orchid
Frog Orchid
Common Twayblade
Common -spotted Orchid
Chalk Milkwort
Marsh Lousewort
Tormentil
Bird’s-foot Trefoil
Silverweed
Horsetail
Water mint
Marsh Pennywort
Burnet Rose
Germander Speedwell
Meadow Buttercup
Marsh Marigold
Cuckoo Flower
Thrift
Primrose
Marsh Thistle
Yellow Iris
Black Sedge
Daisy
Chickweed sp.
Wild Thyme
Autumn Gentian (not yet in flower)
Cats-ear
Grass of Parnassus (one only)
Lesser Meadow Rue
Forget-me-not sp.
Fairy Flax
Sea Arrowgrass
White Clover
Scurvygrass
Ragged Robin
Tufted Vetch
Meadowsweet (not yet in flower)
Lady’s Bedstraw
Bogbean
Spear Thistle

MAMMALS
Grey Seal
Rabbit

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Frog (large adult)

INSECTS
Common Blue (1 male)
Small Heath (6)
Small Elephant Hawk Moth (1)
Common Sexton Beetle (Necrophorus (or Nicrophorus) vespilloides) (1)
Click Beetle - Agrypnus murina (1)
Six-spot Burnet Moth (6)
Fox Moth (1 female)
Bumble Bee (Bombus pascourum)

SHORE
Shore Crab (lots of babies)

LICHENS
Xanthoria parietina (bright yellow)
Lecanora gangaleoides (white crustose lichen with black ‘jam tarts’)
Ramalina sp. (grey-green tufty species on stone walls)
Anaptychia runcinata