Smerinthus ocellata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Host plants:
Salix species, more rarely Populus and species of other plant families (Rosaceae: Malus).

Habitat:
Smerinthus ocellata is not particularly demanding and inhabits open land with hedges, large clearings, riparian forests, wetlands, gravel pits and the human settlements.

Life cycle:
The moths fly in one generation from May to July. Only very rarely there is a partial second generation formed in the late summer. The caterpillars live on low bushes, but hardly on tall trees. I found it particularly common on Salix purpurea. Especially when the caterpillar is found on poplar, it is often confused with the caterpillars of Laothoe populi, although they are not really all that similar (e.g. around the horn!).

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
This species is currently in heavy decline, but it is still more common and more widespread as compared to endangered species such as Hemaris tityus. In Southern Germany the main causes of threat are the loss of ruderal terrain with willow succession by overbuilding, the rapid reforestation of all clearings, the destroyment of wetlands and the recultivation or the overgrowth of willows in gravel pits, etc.

Remarks:
The spread ranges from Northwest Africa (taxon atlanticus) across almost all of Europe until well into Asia (to the Altai).