678 
Sphingide—continued. 
Fic. 689. Lime Hawk-Moru. 
‘contribution quite a large number of common garden 
plants—Lilac, Guelder Rose, Holly, Spindle Tree, Ash, 
Laurustinus, Snowberry, Fuchsia, Phillyrea, and others. 
From this it will be seen that its tastes are somewhat 
cosmopolitan. Though the presence of the larva should 
not remain long undetected, yet the insect itself is by no 
means easy to discover when feeding, so well does its 
colour harmonise with its environment. And even when 
full-fed and on the look-out 
for a favourable spot in 
which to assume the pupal 
state, its colour of bright 
pale green with white and 
violet and purple - edged 
stripes has been replaced 
by others that are not so 
likely to be noticed by in- 
sectivorous birds, or even 
by man. The pupal state 
is undergone beneath the 
ground. The eggs are laid 
in May or June; the larve 
feed throughout the summer, 
and into, in some cases, 
late autumn. The pupal 
state lasts from October till 
May or June of the following 
year. See Figs. 691 and 
692. 
Another Hawk-Moth to 
be mentioned in connection 
with the garden is the 
Death’s Head (Acherontia 
Atropos). This, as noted 
under Potato —Insects, 
affects that vegetable ; but 
it may also be found upon 
many other garden subjects, 
such as the Tea ‘Tree, 
Tomato, the Common Jas- 
mine, Privet, Elder, Com- 
mon Mock Orange, Catalpa, 
&e. It is the largest of 
all British Moths, as well 
as one of the most inter- 
esting from a naturalist’s 
standpoint. For apart from 
the peculiar markings which 
have given rise to the 
popular name it bears, the 
insect is capable of giving 
utterance to a squeak not 
unlike that emitted by a 
mouse. The Moth’s fond- 
ness for sweets sometimes 
seals its doom, for cases 
are on record where it has 
entered a bee-hive and been 
immured by the Bees sealing it up with wax. On the 
Continent the Death’s Head is oftener found than here. 
The Moth chiefly belongs to the South of England, and 
judging by the number of pup# unearthed (the perfect 
insect is not so often seen) at Potato-digging time, it is 
far more abundant some seasons than others. The year 
1900 was an abundant one. The eggs are laid from May 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Sphingide—continued. 
to July; the larve feed from May till September, 
choosing the evening for their feast; and the pupal state 
extends from August till June or July, the perfect 
insects appearing in May and June. Lneas, in his 
interesting work upon ‘‘ British Hawk-Moths,” says with 
regard to the perfect insects, those emerging in May and 
June would have spent the winter in pupal condition; 
while the September, October, and November specimens 
would be new in almost all cases, while the July and 
August ones might belong to either set. As the Moth 
itself was illustrated in Vol. III., we give the‘larva 
and pupa only at Fig. 693. 
The above practically represent all the British Hawk- 
Moths against which any charge of destroying garden 
plants can be laid. There are two or three other members 
of this beautiful family which frequent our gardens for the 
purpose of sipping the sweets of some of our commonest 
bed and border plants. The Humming-Bird Hawk-Moth 
(Macroglossa stellatarwm), Fig. 694, may often be seen by 
the observant hovering over Pelargoninms, Fuchsias, Lark- 
spurs, Evening Primroses, Honeysuckle, and others. This 
Hawk-Moth is of somewhat sombre colouring as compared 
with some of its relatives. The fore-wings are of a 
smoky-brown, while the hind-wings are of dull copper. 
The insect is noteworthy from the fact that it is to be 
found at almost all seasons, for on even bright days in 
Fic. 690. LARVA AND PUPA OF LIME HAWK-MOTH. 
winter it will venture forth. The above list of plants 
are only those which in gardens are most likely to tempt 
it to sip their sweets. In the country the plant to attract 
it is the Viper’s Bugloss (Echium vulgare). This Hawk- 
Moth is marvellous of flight, and it is this which has 
given rise to the very appropriate popular name it bears. 
The larva may be found from June to September. It is 
