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Species of moth From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sphinx ligustri, the privet hawk moth, is a moth found in most of the Palearctic realm. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Privet hawk moth | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Sphingidae |
Genus: | Sphinx |
Species: | S. ligustri |
Binomial name | |
Sphinx ligustri | |
Synonyms | |
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It has a 12 centimetres (4.7 in) wingspan (generally deflexed at rest), and is found in urban areas, forests and woodlands.
The male privet hawk moth can make a hissing sound, if disturbed, by rubbing together a set of scales and spines at the end of its abdomen.[2]
The larvae are usually found between July and August: and bury themselves in the earth when preparing to become a pupa. They then fly in the following June.[3]
As both its common name and specific name - ligustri being derived from the Latin ligustrum, 'privet' - describes, the caterpillars feed on privets, as well as ash trees, lilacs, jasmine, and a number of other plants.
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