Record temperatures and hot winds from South cause steep rise in large moths

RECORD temperatures and hot winds from the South have seen a steep rise in large moths.

Experts say there are six times more than usual in British gardens — and three times more than the previous record year of 2017.

The two-inch wide hummingbird hawk moths breed 5,000 miles away in Africa and in southern Europe — with a few making it to Britain in summer on warm winds.

But recent weather patterns have seen them arrive in much greater numbers — with sightings in six per cent of gardens instead of the usual one per cent.

Numbers are usually higher in September, so more could be on the way.

They feed from flowers while hovering, just like regular tropical hummingbirds.

It is the only moth species included in the Garden BirdWatch, run by the British Trust for Ornithology.

The group said: “In recent weeks, we have seen unusually high numbers.

“Feeding on the wing from a long proboscis can often mean they are mistaken for actual hummingbirds, hence the name.

"In recent weeks, we have seen unusually high numbers of gardens reporting these large, charismatic moths.

"During June and July, we’d expect a little over one per cent of gardens to report them, but this has been as high as six per cent in July.

"Hummingbird Hawk Moths are largely a migratory species in the UK, breeding further south in Europe and Africa, and numbers increase following warm, southerly winds."