2 Hawkmoth larvae

[Painted Jezebel]

I was asked by my local pub to collect larvae that were feeding on, and rapidly denuding, their pot plants in their garden. I initially thought that there was only one species, but, as they grew, it soon became apparant that there were two.

They are currently in the process of pupating, but does anyone recognise them so I know what to expect?

Update-I now know that they have been feeding on Araceae species. The Genus Eupanacra is particlarly fond of these plants, and I suspect the first one may belong to this Genus. However, the only species of Eupanacra I have found here is E. regularis (syn. E. dohertyi), whose hostplant is given as 'Unknown' in my book.

Checking the the Hostplant database at the Natural History Museum, I suspect that the second, larger cat may be a Theretra species, but not one I have found here before.

[Psyche]

Your 2nd is probably Hippotion celerio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hippotion_celerio_larva.jpg

Your 1st looks like Thevetra oldenlandiae.
http://www.papua-insects.nl/insect%20orders/Lepidoptera/Sphingidae/Theretra/Theretra%20oldenlandiae.htm

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you. I did wonder about H. celerio about the second, but my book on British moths does not show the larva of this species but of closely related ones, and they looked different. Nevertheless, the photo you provide is, indeed very similar. This would be nice as the only Hippotion sp. I have so far, from Samui, is H. rosetta.

The first one I have to doubt. The head and first few segments are very different and distinctive. Also, the tail looks wrong. I have seen a photo of an 'Eupanacra sp'. which is very similar, but the actual specific name is not given.

Hopefully we will see in due course.

[guldsmed]

We look forward to see the moths, when they emerge, hope your cats are not parasitised ;-)

[Painted Jezebel]

Still waiting for them to eclose, however, I am now in agreement with Psyche about the second cat (finally found photos of the cat through the wonderful websites of Ian Kitching and Jan Beck, The Sphingidae of the 1) Western Palearctic, 2) Eastern Palearctic and 3) South-East Asia.), though I still expect the first to be an Eupanacra sp.

[hkmoths]

I'd go with Eupanacra as well on the first one.

[Painted Jezebel]

I've another larva on my Araceae plants now. It may just be an earlier instar of one of the earlier cats, but, I don't recognise it as such.

These plants are fun!

[Painted Jezebel]

It now appears that the third cat shown is the same species as the first.

The first 3 pupae have now eclosed, and Seow, you were quite right, they are Hippotion celerio, below.

Still waiting for the first Eupanacra to eclose, but it should be soon.

[guldsmed]

It now appears that the third cat shown is the same species as the first.

The first 3 pupae have now eclosed, and Seow, you were quite right, they are Hippotion celerio, below.

Still waiting for the first Eupanacra to eclose, but it should be soon.

Very nice to see your H. celerio! I am a bit surprised, that # 3 is the same as # 1, I had guessed it could be same as # 2, because of more similar shape of the horn :thinking:

[Painted Jezebel]

At the time, I was expecting something else. However, the last instar of No.3 showed exactly the same tail as No. 1. Also, the front segments were the same.

[Painted Jezebel]

Larva 1 eclosed last night and it is an Eupanacra species. It looks very much like E. mydon, but here I am in a quandry.

Moths of Borneo shows a photo of the larva of Panacra mydon (same species) which is very different. See here (http://www.mothsofborneo.com/part-3/plate19.php).

There is a very similar species, E. elegantulus, but I have never seen the larva of this species.

[Psyche]

It looks like you have a perfect match for E. elegantulus here.
http://butterybuttermoth.blogspot.com/2009/03/eupanacra-elegantulus-life-history.html

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

The darker larva is a perfect match. Thank you.:thumbsup: It appears I have both E. mydon and E. elegantulus here.