elephant hawkmoth foodplant

[freestone]

last august I found an elephant hawkmoth caterpillar feeding on a himalayan balsam plant.This was on the bank of the river Cleddau near Haverfordwest on a section completely overgrown with this invasive (but spectacular)alien.I wonder wether the hawkmoth has adapted to feed on this new foodplant and might be useful as a biological control,or perhaps this was due to a total lack of its usual food.The caterpillar was well grown and active.I would be interested in anyones thoughts or experience of this.

[Harry Eales]

Hello Freestone,

The usual foodplant for the Elephant Hawkmoth is one of the Willowherb species, but usually the Rosebay Willowherb. However, having said that, many species will feed on a variety of plants. The usual alternative foodplant for the Elephant Hawkmoth is Fuschia, but alternatives are always possible. Textbooks are very frequently wrong.

Harry

[Lindsay-c]

Originally Posted by Harry Eales

Hello Freestone,

The usual foodplant for the Elephant Hawkmoth is one of the Willowherb species, but usually the Rosebay Willowherb. However, having said that, many species will feed on a variety of plants. The usual alternative foodplant for the Elephant Hawkmoth is Fuschia, but alternatives are always possible. Textbooks are very frequently wrong.

Harry

And bedstraws but as Harry has said you will find larvae feeding on plants which isn't their usual foodplant (or foodplant according to textbooks)