Rare migrant found at Seaford Head - the Death's-head Hawk-moth

By Glenn Norris

Reserves Ecologist 

Terry Hallahan and fellow volunteers are licensed bird ringers who have been monitoring birds at Seaford Head reserve. 

On a recent recording day, one rare non-bird find on the main path was a Death’s-head Hawk-moth. This is a massive immigrant moth species with an awesome skull image on the back of its thorax. 

This is a new species for the reserve network and this individual was pumping its wings, which means it emerged from a pupa, formed from a caterpillar, hatched from an egg, which means it was laid on the reserve at Seaford Head.

According to Sussex Moth Group, caterpillars are only recorded one in every three years. 

There is plenty of the food-plant at Seaford Head as they use both Deadly Nightshade and Woody Nightshade. 

No wonder it has the skull emblazoned on its back!