Willowherb hawkmoth

The willowherb hawkmoth (Proserpinus proserpina) is a moth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Peter Simon Pallas in 1772.

Willowherb hawkmoth
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 2.3)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Proserpinus
Species:	P. proserpina
Binomial name
Proserpinus proserpina (Pallas, 1772)[2]
Synonyms
Sphynx proserpina Pallas, 1772 Sphinx schieffermilleri Fuessly, 1779 Sphinx oenotherae Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Sphinx francofurtana Fabricius, 1781 Proserpinus aenotheroides Butler, 1876 Proserpinus proserpina attenuata Schultz, 1904 Proserpinus proserpina brunnea Geest, 1903 Proserpinus proserpina grisea Rebel, 1910 Proserpinus proserpina infumata (Closs, 1911) Proserpinus proserpina schmidti Schmidt, 1914 Pterogon proserpina gigas Oberthür, 1922 Pterogon proserpina japetus Grum-Grshimailo, 1890 Pterogon proserpina maxima Grum-Grshimailo, 1887

Distribution

It is found in Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Netherlands, Palestine, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.^[1]

Description

The wingspan is 36–60 mm.^[3]

• 
  Caterpillar
• 
  Proserpinus proserpina ♂
• 
  Proserpinus proserpina ♂ △
• 
  Proserpinus proserpina ♀
• 
  Proserpinus proserpina ♀ △

Biology

The larvae feed on Epilobium (including Epilobium hirsutum), Oenothera and Lythrum species.