Death’s Head Hawkmoth caterpillar

This funny looking caterpillar was spotted on Fairview by Aden, and what a treat because it’s not often we get to see them.

Commonly found in Europe and throughout Africa, they have three larval colour forms which are green, brown, and yellow and have seven diagonal blue lines on their bodies. The length of the caterpillar can be between 13-15cm long. They feed on leaves of plants. They used to be found in potato fields but due to mechanical harvesting and wide-spread chemical use, they now feed on a variety of plants.

The cycle of life for this insect is as follows: It starts off as an egg, which hatches into a caterpillar (or larva), which then becomes a pupa, (which is a stage where the insect transforms between an immature and mature phase) this is dark reddish brown in colour. They pupate while underground for a few days, where they become “adults”.  The imago is the last stage where the caterpillar turns into a moth.

The death’s-head hawkmoth is large in size and the wingspan can reach a whopping 13cm and they are powerful fliers. The “death’s – head” is derived from the image of the skull and bones on the back of the thorax. The body is stout with a bullet like shape, with two long wings, which are a mix of dark and light brown, and two shorter hindwings, which are orangey buff in colour with two thin dark bands parallel with the dorsum.

Something for our beekeepers to take note of, these moths have also been observed raiding beehives and mimic the sounds of bees.

Some people believe this moth is “evil” due to its skull like image on its thorax as well as the sound it makes, which is a squeaky noise or chirp when irritated. These moths have been featured in art as well as films and novels due to their unusual look and the beliefs of some that come with it.

Next time you spot a Death’s Head Hawkmoth, make sure to look out for its unique and fascinating marks, it may be difficult to find one as they mostly come out in the late afternoon or evening.