June, 191S. The Irish Xatiirah'si. 81 



THE CONVOLVULUS HAWK-MOTH IN IRELAND. 



BY J. N. HALBERT, M.R.I. A. 



The season of 1917 was remarkable for an abundance of 

 insect life and in no groups was this more noticeable than 

 amongst the butterflies and moths. The occurrence of the 

 Convolvulus Hawk-Moth {Sphinx convclvuli) in unusual 

 numbers is interesting, as it is an uncommon insect during 

 most years in these countries. Towards the end of August 

 it was often noticed in the vicinity of Dublin and records 

 of its occurrence were received from various Irish localities. 



It is now known that this fine moth was generally com- 

 mon in Great Britain last year in late summer and early 

 autumn, having been observed in many places ranging from 

 the Isle of Wight and Cornwall to the Shetlands and the 

 Hebrides. No doubt it was also common throughout 

 Central and Southern Europe, though of this there are no 

 available records, but the appearance in numbers of this 

 insect in Britain is always preceded by its abundance abroad. 



Birchall ^ remarks that it was very common in Dublin 

 and the adjoining counties in the year 1859, and the same 

 appears to have been the case last August and September. 

 The Killiney and Swords districts were specially favoured. 

 Mr. W. Ruttledge writes that at Lissen Hall in the latter 

 localit}/ it was first noticed on August 24th when one flew 

 into a room ; a few days later " as many as four or five moths 

 could be seen at the one time on the flowers of the tobacco 

 plant (Nicotiana). The moths seemed to be very tame 

 and they could be caught with no better weapon than a 

 hat ! and when disturbed they came back again very soon." 

 For more than a week they were observed in numbers every 

 night, but owing to a change of weather they then dis- 

 appeared. 



In order to give an idea of the prevalence of the moth 

 in the Dublin district I may mention that it was observed 

 at Rush, Swords, Malahide, Howth (in a house on the south 

 side), Lambay ^ (caught by Mr. Baring), Killiney, Bally- 



^ " Catalogue of the Lepidoptera of Ireland," p. 5. 

 2 Irish Naturalist, xxvii., p. 65. 



A 



