Denmark's largest butterfly

Our largest butterfly or moth is the Death's-head Hawk-moth, the female of which can have a wingspan of up to 135 mm – the same as the wingspan of our smallest bird, the Goldcrest. It is not resident in Denmark, but now and then pays us a visit in late summer from Africa, where it normally lives in an area south of the Sahara.

It is fond of honey and is therefore often seen at beehives. It is resistant to the venom of the guard bees and can move around the hive unmolested. It is thought to produce a squeaking sound with its proboscis that pacifies the bees.

Among the butterflies proper, the Camberwell Beauty is considered the largest, with a wingspan of 70–80 mm.

More photos

Death's-head Hawk-moth (Acherontia atropos). A moth

Death's-head Hawk-moth (Acherontia atropos). A moth. This specimen was found on Fur.

Death's-head Hawk-moth (Acherontia atropos). The caterpillar, which is 100–125 mm long, usually lives and feeds on the leaves of potato plants here in Denmark. Its colour varies between yellow, brown and green. The caterpillar pupates in the soil. Pupae that do not hatch during the autumn die over the winter.

The Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa) is considered our largest butterfly, with a wingspan of 70–80 mm. It hibernates and can be seen from March to October throughout the country, but mostly on Zealand.