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Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae

Reaching a wingspan of up to 80 mm the Lime Hawk-moth is a big moth in our region. It is very variable. Males often look like the one in our picture. Females have the same green patches, usually, but their ground colour is more yellowish or pink. The green patches may also be brown. They are very variable in size. Sometimes the patches are large enough to be connected, thus looking like an irregularly shaped band. But in other animals the patches just look like small dots. But despite being very variable this is is unmistable species. There is no other like it.

The Lime Hawk-moth is on the wing in May and June mainly. Adults don't feed at all. The caterpillar is greenish and bears a blueish arrow on the tail. It is mainly found on Lime, but sometimes on other trees as well. This is a common species in England . Also founds in other parts of Europe, Northern Africa, the Middle East and Northern Asia.