#Sphingidae

[platycryptus]

time lapse of a banded sphinx moth caterpillar (Eumorpha fasciatus) devouring a water primrose leaf

(Florida, 9/18/22)

E. fasciatus caterpillars are heavily polymorphic and come in several different color morphs- those stripy rainbow ones are from the same population as the green one.

another neat thing about these guys is that most caterpillars drown easily, but since water primrose (Ludwigia) usually grows in standing water, E. fasciatus caterpillars have a propensity for swimming and are often seen wriggling their way through lakes when they need to come ashore to pupate.

[onenicebugperday]

Death’s head hawkmoth, Acherontia atropos, Sphingidae

Photographed by Matthieu Berroneau

Shared with permission; do not remove credit or re-post!

[herpsandbirds]

Brilliant Carpenter-Bee Mimic Hawk Moth (Sataspes tagalica), family Sphingidae, Chiang Dao, Thailand

photograph by Antonio Giudici

[autisticplants]

i found lots of different Eumorpha fasciatus caterpillar color morphs today!

[snototter]

An African deaths-head hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos) in the UK

by Roger Wasley

[bowelfly]

inkwash bugs

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

This animal was requested!

[miyrumiyru]

She's so huge, robust and have spikes on legs. I had a hard time to move her to the safe place 😅

Apple Hawkmoth (Langia zenzeroides)

[coolbugs]

Bug of the Day

I was coming back in after a disappointing night at the lights last week, and came across this glorious chonkbeast on some Virginia creeper growing under my porch. This is a Pandora sphinx moth caterpillar (Eumorpha pandorus). Look at its squishy little donut feeties!!

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Snake-Mimicking Sphinx Moth (Hemeroplanes triptolemus): the caterpillars of this species are able to mimic snakes by turning upside-down and inflating the area around their head

It's very common for moths to engage in mimicry during the larval stage of their development, and their caterpillars are often known to mimic snakes. In most cases, they'll simply mimic the snake's eyes (or eye) and its general morphology, but there are a few species that take their disguises to a much higher level, mimicking the snake's eyes, scaly texture, coloration, posture, and even its behavior with such a startling degree of accuracy that the tiny, harmless caterpillars are often mistaken for actual snakes.

Hemeroplanes triptolemus is probably the most famous example of this.

Above: a caterpillar of the species Hemeroplanes triptolemus displaying its defensive posture

This species of sphinx moth can be found in the rainforests of Central and South America. When threatened, the caterpillar suspends itself from a twig, turns its body over to expose its underbelly, tucks in its legs, and inflates the anterior segments of its body in order to mimic the shape of a serpent's head. As the body segments expand, several markings on each side of the caterpillar's body are exposed, mimicking the eyes and nostrils of a snake.

Above: the caterpillar is shown hanging upside-down; its actual head is visible near the tip of the "snake nose"

As this article explains:

At the slightest hint of danger—be it a stooping bird or pouncing lizard—the sphinx moth caterpillar begins its masquerade. Dangling from a twig, it reveals an underside patterned in faux snakeskin and eyespots that appear to glisten. By sucking in air through tiny holes in its surface, the caterpillar inflates its head to create the illusion of a triangular skull swollen with venom glands. If the shape of a deadly snake isn’t enough to startle away a hungry predator, the caterpillar will lunge as if to strike. And despite the larva’s comical lack of any actual weaponry, the strategy appears to be effective.

Above: detailed photos of the "snake's head"

This disguise is only present in the final instar, which is the last stage of development before the caterpillar undergoes pupation and then matures into an adult moth.

Above: the adult form of Hemeroplanes triptolemus

As I've said before, moths are some of the very best mimics in the world. I've also written posts about wasp-mimicking moths, moths that mimic jumping spiders, a moth that can mimic a broken birch twig, a moth that disguises itself as two flies feeding on bird poop, another snake-mimicking moth caterpillar, a moth that mimics a curled-up leaf, a moth that mimics a cuckoo bee, moths that mimic hornets and bumblebees, and a moth that can mimic the leaves of a poplar tree.

Sources & More Info:

BioGraphic: Snake Fake

National Geographic: This Harmless Caterpillar Looks Like a Pit Viper

Animal Behaviour: Defensive Posture and Eyespots Deter Avian Predators from Attacking Caterpillar Models

University of Nebraska: Mimicry in Insects (PDF)

Ecology and Evolution: Outstanding Issues in the Study of Antipredator Defenses

[jupiterswasphouse]

[VIDEO AND PHOTOS TAKEN: OCTOBER 30TH, 2024 | Video and Image IDs: A video and five photos of a brown, leaf-patterned mournful sphinx moth. In the video and the final two photos, it's on a human hand, the video showing it shaking its wings rapidly as the camera turns to show the side of the moth. In the remaining photos, it's on a grey doorframe. /End IDs.]

The Mournful Sphinx, Enyo lugubris!

[herpsandbirds]

Coprosma Hawk Moth (Hippotion scrofa), family Sphingidae, VIC, Australia

photographs by Sharon Abel

[bugkeeping]

Oryba achemenides

Or algae covered cheeto

[snototter]

An African death's-head hawk moth (Acherontia atropos)

by Peter Schmidt

[bowelfly]

can i interest you in some bugs

[jenfoundabug]

I love sphinx moths. They're so chunky <3 Twin-spotted sphinx (Smerinthus jamaicensis)

Northeastern Pennsylvania, US