Elephant Hawk-moth
Margaret Holland

Moths in Kent

What species of butterflies can you find in and around Kent? Check out our species explorer pages and learn how to identify these marvellous insects!

Search more species

Burnet and Forester Moths

Six-spot Burnet moth on Red Clover
©Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Six-spot burnet moth

Species

The six-spot burnet moth is a day-flying moth that flies with a slow, fluttering pattern. Look for it alighting on knapweeds and thistles in grassy places. It is glossy black, with six red spots on each forewing.

Crambid Snout Moths

Mint moth on wild marjoram
Mint moth on wild marjoram © Leanne Manchester

Mint moth

Species

A small, day-flying moth that can often be seen visiting garden herbs.

Eggars, Snout Moths or Lappet Moths

brown, red moth
Fox moth by Iain Leach

Fox moth

Species

The large, fluffy caterpillars of this moth are often seen in summer and early spring.

An oak eggar moth resting on woman's hand
Oak eggar © Tom Marshall

Oak eggar

Species

These moths can be seen flying on sunny days, but you're more likely to spot the fuzzy caterpillars crawling over paths.

Geometer Moths

Brimstone Moth
©Amy Lewis

Brimstone moth

Species

The brimstone moth is a yellow, night-flying moth with distinctive brown-and-white spots on its angular forewings. It frequently visits gardens, but also likes woods, scrub and grasslands.

Peppered Moth
©Amy Lewis

Peppered moth

Species

The peppered moth is renowned for its markings that have evolved to camouflage it against lichen in the countryside and soot in the city. It can be seen in gardens, woods and parks, and along hedgerows.

Magpie Moth
©Les Binns

Magpie moth

Species

The magpie is a distinctive moth with striking black and yellow spots on white wings. It is a frequent garden visitor, but also likes woodland, scrub and heathland.

Chimney sweeper moth
Chimney sweeper © Rachel Scopes

Chimney sweeper

Species

This sooty-black, day-flying moth is active on sunny days, rarely settling in one place for long.

Orange underwing

Orange underwing

Species

This birch-loving moth can be seen flying on sunny days in early spring.

An argent & sable moth perched on a grass stem with its black and white wings spread
Argent & sable © Iain H Leach

Argent & sable

Species

This striking black-and-white moth flies during the day in open woodlands, moorlands, and bogs. It's most common on Scottish moors.

A large emerald moth resting on a leaf
Large emerald © Vaughn Matthews

Large emerald

Species

This large green moth rests with its wings spread, so is sometimes mistaken for a butterfly.

Hawk Moths

Privet Hawk-moth
©Amy Lewis

Privet hawk-moth

Species

With a torpedo-shaped body and long, narrow wings, the privet hawk-moth is a striking garden visitor. But the caterpillars really stand out: lime-green, with purple streaks and a black hook at the tail end.

Lime Hawk-moth
©Margaret Holland

Lime hawk-moth

Species

The lime hawk-moth is a large, night-flying moth that can be seen from May to July in gardens, parks and woods. It is buff-coloured, with green patches on its scalloped-edged wings.

©Derek Moore

Humming-bird hawk-moth

Species

The humming-bird hawk-moth migrates to the UK from Southern Europe each year. It can be seen hovering over flowers, feeding with its long proboscis; its wings move so quickly that it 'hums'.

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
©Margaret Holland

Broad-bordered bee hawk-moth

Species

The broad-bordered bee hawk-moth does, indeed, look like a bee! A scarce moth, mainly of Central and Southern England, it feeds on the wing and can be seen during spring and summer.

Elephant Hawk-moth
Margaret Holland

Elephant hawk-moth

Species

The elephant hawk-moth is a pretty, gold-and-pink moth that can be seen at dusk in gardens, parks, woods and grassy habitats. The caterpillars look like elephant's trunks and have eyespots to scare off predators.

Loopers, Owlet moths and Cutworm Moths

Large Yellow Underwing moth
©Chris Lawrence

Large yellow underwing

Species

Found almost everywhere, the large yellow underwing is a night-flying moth that is often attracted to lights. It is brown with orangey-yellow hindwings.

Silver Y moth
©Amy Lewis

Silver Y

Species

The Silver Y migrates to the UK in massive numbers each year - sometimes, an estimated 220 million can reach our shores in spring! Seen throughout the year, it is very common in gardens and grasslands.

Angle Shades moth
©Amy Lewis

Angle shades

Species

The angle shades can be well-hidden among the leaf litter - its pinky-brown markings and scalloped wings giving it the perfect camouflage. It is on the wing in gardens, woods and hedgerows from May.

reddish buff

Reddish buff

Species

A very rare species, this moth is now limited to one site in the UK. Males can be a striking reddish buff in colour.

a knot grass moth rests on a leaf, showing the distinctive white markings that identify the species
Knot grass © Tom Hibbert

Knot grass

Species

A common moth across most of the UK. The large, hairy caterpillars are often seen in late summer.

Mullein moth caterpillar
Mullein moth caterpillar ©Chris Lawrence

Mullein

Species

You're more likely to see the attractive, brightly coloured caterpillars than the mullein moth itself.

Prominent Moths

Buff-tip Moth
©Tom Marshall

Buff-tip moth

Species

It is so easy to miss this clever little moth. It is a master of disguise, blending in perfectly as it looks just like the twig of a birch tree! Flying only at night, the buff-tip moth can be seen from May to July.

A big, fluffy puss moth resting on a tree branch
Puss moth © Vaughn Matthews

Puss moth

Species

The puss moth is a large and fluffy moth, with a very strange looking caterpillar.

Saturniid Moths

Emperor Moth
©Malcolm Storey

Emperor moth

Species

An unmistakeable insect of heaths, sand dunes and grasslands, the Emperor moth is fluffy, grey-brown, with big peacock-like eyespots on all four wings. Males can be seen during the day, but females lie low.

Underwing, Tiger, Tussock Moths and Allies

vibrant orange and red moth
Garden tiger moth by Iain H Leach

Garden tiger moth

Species

The garden tiger is an attractive, brown-and-white moth of sand dunes, woodland edges, meadows and hedgerows; it will also visit gardens. In decline, it is suffering from the 'tidying up' of our countryside.

cinnabar
Richard Burkmar

Cinnabar

Species

These pretty black and red moths are often confused for butterflies! Their black and yellow caterpillars are a common sight on ragwort plants. The caterpillar’s bright colours warn predators not to eat them, giving a strong signal that they are poisonous!

Male vapourer moth
Male vapourer moth © Frank Porch

Vapourer

Species

The mohawk-sporting caterpillar of this moth is often seen on shrubs and trees in late summer. As adults the orange-brown males fly by day, but the flightless females don't stray far from their cocoon.

Mother shipton moth
Mother Shipton moth by Janet Packham

Mother Shipton

Species

This striking day-flying moth is named after a 16th century witch.

Burnet companion
Burnet companion ©Tom Hibbert

Burnet companion

Species

This day-flying moth is found on flowery meadows, often in the company of other moths and butterflies.

A pale tussock moth rests on a dead leaf, its fluffy legs held out in front of its body.

Pale tussock

Species

This large, fluffy-legged moth is often attracted to lights in May and June.

A fluffy, white brown-tail moth resting on a leaf
Brown-tail © Nick Upton/2020VISION

Brown-tail

Species

The caterpillars of this fluffy white moth are best admired from a distance, as their hairs can irritate the skin.

A yellow-tail moth resting on a brick wall, its abdomen curled up to reveal the distinctive yellow tail

Yellow-tail

Species

This snowy white moth is easily mistaken for the similar brown-tail, until it lifts its abdomen to reveal a burst of golden-yellow.

Scarlet tiger moth
©Malcolm Storey

Scarlet tiger moth

Species

This beautiful moth is often found resting on leaves, though it does also fly during the day.

A herald moth resting on a branch
Herald © Vaughn Matthews

Herald

Species

This unmistakable moth spends the winter as an adult, tucked away in a sheltered spot like a cave or outbuilding.