Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 8 June 2006)
(Photo: courtesy of
Ted Cadwallader)
(Photo: courtesy of
Greg Hudson)
Green form of the Caterpillar
This Caterpillar occurs world-wide. It can occur in several different colour forms: green, brown, red or dark grey. It usually has an eyespot each side of the first and second abdominal segments, those on the first segment being larger. There are variable cryptic stripes and bands along the rest of the body. The Caterpillar has a tailhorn curved slightly backwards which tapers to a point.
In the tropics, it is a pest on
It also feeds on many other ornamental plants and crops, including :
When disturbed, the caterpillar curls into the shape of a letter 'C', tucks its head under its thorax, and expands the segments with the eyespots. No doubt these distract and deter possible predators.
It pupates in a shelter made from debris on the soil, the pupa having a length of about 5 cms.
empty pupa and pupal shelter
(Photos: courtesy of
Ted Cadwallader)
The adult moth has striped brown and white forewings, red hind wings, and a long tongue, with which it can suck nectar from flowers while hovering in front of them. It has a wingspan of about 6 cms.
(Photo: courtesy of
Otto Rogge Photography)
The chemical identities of the sex-attractant substances (pheromones) for this moth have been elucidated. The moth is agriculturally important as it is one of several species largely responsible for the pollination of Papaya ( Chamaedorea tepejilote ).
 Samoa 1991 |
 Fiji, 2001 |
The species occurs worldwide, eg: in
Further reading :
David Carter,
Butterflies and Moths,
Collins Eyewitness Handbooks, Sydney 1992, p. 245.
Ian F.B. Common,
Moths of Australia,
Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp. 67, 412.
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