Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Crepuscularia. Family: Sphingidæ, Leach.
Genus. Deilephila, Ochs. Steph. &c. Eumorphæ, Hübn. Sphinx, Linn.
Deilephila Euphorbiæ. Alis anticis virescentibus vittâ latâ luridâ maculâque disci virescente, posticis nigris fasciâ margineque exteriori roseis, abdomine cingulis (interruptis) albis. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 10 lin. ♂. 3 unc. 1 lin. ♀.)
Syn. Sphinx Euphorbiæ, Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. 802. Donov. Brit. Ins. 3. pl. 91. 92. Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. 367. No. 37. Gmel. Linn. S. N. 2383. 19. Haworth Lep. Brit. 61.
The Spotted Hawk Moth, Harris Aurelian, pl. 44. f. a. c.
Deilephila Euphorbiæ, Ochs. Schmett. iv. p. 43. Curtis Brit. Ent. 1. pl. 4.
Habitat: Holland, Germany (Drury). England, and other parts of Europe.
Upper Side. Head and thorax olive, having a white stripe on each side, which, beginning at the palpi and running across the shoulders, ends at the base of the abdomen; the olive colour extending along that part to its extremity. The first segment of the abdomen is black, the second cream colour, the remainder alternately cream colour and olive. The superior wings are of a flesh colour, having a narrow olive bar beginning at the tips, which, crossing them, ends at the posterior margin, widening gradually; an olive patch, the size of a small pea, is also placed on each next the shoulders, and another on the middle near the anterior edge. Cilia cream colour. The posterior wings black at the base; below which is a rose-coloured bar crossing them, next that is a narrow black indented bar, and beneath these the wing is flesh-coloured, with white cilia.
Under Side. The breast rose-coloured. The abdomen flesh-coloured, with cream-coloured rings. Wings faint rose and flesh-coloured; the anterior having a black spot in each, near the middle, and not far from the anterior edge.
Since the days of Drury this handsome insect has been ascertained to be a native of our island. It has, however, until lately been deemed one of the rarest as well as most beautiful species in the rare family to which it belongs. Entomologists are indebted not only for a considerable number of specimens, but, what is more interesting, for a knowledge of the habits of the insect to William Raddon, Esq. the celebrated engraver, by whom an interesting notice has been published in the Entomological Magazine. It feeds upon the sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias), which grows in plenty on the sand hills in the neighbourhood of Barnstaple and Braunton Burrows, in Devonshire. These sand hills are of great extent, and, as suggested by Mr. Curtis, must have been collected by the winds and storms to which they are constantly exposed. During the winter the whole soil is frequently removed, so as completely to alter the surface of the country; a great number of the pupæ must consequently be destroyed or buried at a considerable distance below the surface, where probably they lie hid until they are brought to light and life by the influence of the elements. These circumstances account for the great irregularity in the appearance of the insects. In 1814, for instance, they were so plentiful that Mr. Raddon found not less than one hundred minute larvæ upon an armful of spurge, which he had cut at dusk the preceding evening. The rarity of the insect is also increased by the difficulty of rearing it. The late Mr. Fuseli, the royal academician, who was a zealous entomologist, was enabled only to obtain one moth from twenty chrysalides. The larvæ are full grown in September, and the moth appears in the following June.