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May Object of the Month : Display of Hawk Moths

Object of the Month – May 2020

May’s ‘Object of the Month’ features a selection of Hawkmoths. They have been chosen by Sarah Kenyon, one of the Natural Sciences Officers at Saffron Walden Museum, from moths preserved in a wooden cabinet of British moths. It belonged to George Stacey Gibson of Saffron Walden who collected the insects before 1883.

Display of Hawkmoths
In the left column at the top you can see an Eyed Hawkmoth with a pupal case, the black and blue eye sports on its hind wings are used to scare predators.below that a Poplar Hawkmoth with its caterpillar that feeds on poplar leaves and, at the bottom, a Lime Hawkmoth whose caterpillar eats the leaves of lime trees .
In the centre you can find a Death’s Head Hawkmoth and caterpillar, below that a Convolvulus Hawkmoth and, at the bottom, a Privet Hawkmoth.














On the right there is a Spurge Hawkmoth, below that a Madder Hawkmoth and caterpillar, a Striped Hawkmoth and, at the bottom, an Oleander Hawkmoth.

Hawkmoths information
These large moths of the insect family Sphingidae are beautiful and easy to identify. So they are great for budding lepidopterists.
Checkout these websites to help you learn more about Hawkmoths and how to identify them. if you find any
UK Moths Beginners Top 20 www./ukmoths.org.uk/top-20 and family Sphingidae

www.ukmoths.org.uk/search/?entry=Sphingidae&thumbnails=true
Butterfly Conservation with identification guide www.butterfly-conservation.org/search?query=hawkmoth

The Essex Field Club website has maps showing where each moth has been found in Essex.
If you really get the bug you could join the Essex Moth Group

George Stacey Gibson
Mr Gibson was a scientist, banker and benefactor to the Saffron Walden area.

Unfortunately this is a virtual Object of the Month during this difficult time. However, when the Museum is open again you will be able to see the moths on display upstairs in the natural history gallery.

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