(none)

[Chris Raper]

On 17 Jul 1998 01:45:14 -0700, gordon.ramel at BBSRC.AC.UK (gordon.ramel)
wrote:

>Can anybody help louise with this??  The only thing I can think of is an Elephant Hawk Moth 

>Yesterday in my garden (warm, walled, central Bedford, edge of the fens 
>etc.) I saw a small to middling sized butterfly or moth, with the front 
>wings a bright pinkish sort of red and the back wings solid black. 
[snip]
>Any ideas?  The shock of seeing it took my breath away!

Well, I'd have to say that, if nothing else, size should be a good
indicatior. The colouration sounds fine for an Elephant Hawk seen in
flight. A Burnet would have looked black in flight and would be _much_
smaller. Scarlet Tiger (and just about all the Arctiids) have a
weekish fluttery flight - and wouldn't look pink.

All in all, I'd say if it was large, pink and flew strongly, an
Elephant Hawk sounds favourite.  :-)

Hope that helps
Chris R.