Advertisement

Let caterpillars eat your flowers this autumn to help pink moth, RHS says

The elephant hawkmoth has attractive pink wings - www.alamy.com
The elephant hawkmoth has attractive pink wings - www.alamy.com

The Royal Horticultural Society has halted anti-caterpillar measures on its plants after seeing an increase in the larvae of pretty, pink moths.

Gardeners have been urged to let grubs munch holes in their honeysuckles in order to help the elephant hawkmoth, which has attractive pink wings.

The giant caterpillars of the moth are also interesting to look at, with distinctive markings which look like eyes.

The striking larvae have been spotted in RHS gardens as they wander from their feeding plants to find a safe place to bed down for the winter (as pupae).

Earlier this year there were also sightings of the rare migrant spurge and death’s head hawkmoths; these moths breed in warmer climes but a good year allows them to fly over the channel and visit the UK.

The charity is urging gardeners to turn a blind eye to the small-time damage it can cause this autumn and plant evening flowering favourites of the adult moth to support their dwindling numbers. These include Nicotiana, Honeysuckle and Evening primrose.

Hawkmoths are the biggest of the UK’s moths, and along with their smaller cousins are an essential part of the ecosystem, acting as pollinators and providing food for birds and bats.

Hayley Jones, entomologist at the RHS, said: "Moths get a bad rap and are often overlooked in favour of their cousins, the butterflies, which are thought to be more showy and beneficial to gardens. In fact, moths come in a huge range of colours and patterns and act as important pollinators – less than seven species are known to favour clothes in your wardrobe.

"Now with many species in decline, it’s time we celebrated the more than 2,500 species of moth found in the UK. Early autumn is the perfect time to set out and see these beautiful creatures and lay the groundwork for their proliferation next year."

In recent years reports made to RHS advisory reveal six times fewer sightings in gardens. Although hawkmoth caterpillars cause some small damage to plants, they are an essential part of the ecosystem, acting as pollinators and providing all important food for birds and bats.

Many of the UK’s moths are in decline, a symptom of changing climate and destruction of their natural habitats but they are likely to have benefitted from the recent warm weather. Gardeners can help by planting caterpillar food plants and nectar plants for the adults, and tolerating some caterpillar damage in order to benefit these amazing creatures.

A spokesperson for the RHS said their gardeners had been turning a blind eye to caterpillars, adding:  "The moths cause only superficial damage and their benefit to the environment vastly outweigh the pesky holes they leave in some of the plants. Plus, particularly in the case of the beautiful elephant hawkmoth, they make for a beautiful sight!"