Sphinx ligustri
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
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. 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. 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.
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. Media related to Sphinx ligustri at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Sphinx ligustri at Wikispecies "69.006 BF1976 Privet Hawk-moth Sphinx ligustri Linnaeus, 1758". UKMoths. Retrieved December 13, 2018. Pittaway, A. R. (2018). "Sphinx Linnaeus, 1758". Sphingidae of the Western Palaearctic. Retrieved... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Aigüestortes National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Privet Hawkmoth sighting in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 37th most-seen of the 79 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Privet Hawkmoth in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–June, September and November, the lowest months. That is one of Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park's wettest months, with about 180 mm of rain against 70 mm in July. January has too few records to rate.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Privet Hawkmoth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Privet Hawkmoth sightings, Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Aigüestortes National Park (Spain, about 10%) and Cévennes National Park (France, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Privet Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
