There is nothing like a heat wave to bring the moths out, even in suburban Headington. It had already been a busy morning, and in amongst the Scarlet Tigers, Hearts and Darts and Common Footmen was our first Lackey Moth:
…our first Twenty-plume Moth:
…and not one, but two, Large Elephant Hawk Moths:
Then my youngest daughter noticed a long, dark shape the size of a small aircraft in the moth trap:
At last a Privet Hawk Moth had visited our garden! It was an absolute beast. The eye is enormous: 
The black back and face are separated by a wide light grey go-faster stripe that wraps around the head:
This is Britain’s largest resident moth, it dwarfed the Large Elephant Hawk Moths: 
The pink and black body becomes visible as it spreads it’s wings:
Wing detail:
A source of much pre-breakfast joy, we were delighted to admire this stunning garden visitor: 