Moths outnumber butterflies in the UK by a wide margin, yet they rarely get the same admiration. With populations declining, it's worth asking which of our night-flying neighbours truly deserves the spotlight.
Put the items in your preferred order.
Elephant Hawk-moth
With its striking magenta and green colouring, this moth looks more tropical than British. Its caterpillar's trunk-like snout gives the species its name.
Garden Tiger Moth
Once common across British gardens, its chocolate-and-cream forewings and fiery orange hindwings are now a rarer sight. A symbol of how quickly familiar species can vanish.
Hummingbird Hawk-moth
Often mistaken for a tiny bird as it hovers at buddleia, this migrant is appearing more frequently as the UK climate warms. A genuine garden marvel.

Death's-head Hawkmoth
Famous from Silence of the Lambs, this rare migrant sports a skull pattern on its thorax and can actually squeak when alarmed. Pure Gothic theatre.

Emperor Moth
With four prominent eyespots and feathery antennae, the male emperor can detect a female from miles away. A heathland icon worth protecting.
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