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I always wanted to find a Deaths Head hawk moth in the wild, but never thought I would be lucky enough, until my Father handed me a full grown caterpillar found at a local allotment. I new there would be at least 3 Caterpillars feeding, so we returned to searched for more, I found another larvae sat on top of a large pile of potato leaves which were just going to be burnt. I then went through a patch of growing potato leaves looking for the large droppings on the bear earth, as I new the caterpillar would be difficult to find, and was soon rewarded with a large caterpillar well camouflaged against the potato leaves. I decided to take a few pictures of the caterpillar in its wild environment. In captivity they can be reared on Privet. I new a beekeeper so I borrowed a honeycomb for photography, as the deaths head has a famous reputation of invading old fashion type bee hives for the honey.
The moth can squeak, this might be used to pacify the bees and it is believed it can mimic the bees sent,
As soon as I placed one of the newly hatched moth onto the honeycomb it started to squeak, it then uncoiled its short dagger like tongue adapted for breaking through the honey comb cells and drank from one cell to the next. The moth on the honeycomb made a great composition for my photography, when freshly emerged the face or skull markings on the moth’s thorax near its head from which it gets its name, is quite striking to see. When handled or together in a cage the moths squeak quite loudly.
The Deaths Head hawk moth can be brought and reared easily and is highly recommended; now entomologist know how to breed them. Andy Newman©
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