Cat ID Assistance please

[cho-cho-san]

Shot this in my garden today. The cat was found crawling on a wall. I released it onto a nearby plant and hoped it could return to its food plant.

I'm not very good with ID-ing caterpillars, so just wondering if any of the experts could help out.

[cho-cho-san]

I have managed to find the food plant this morning.
It is the "Desert-Rose" (Adenium Obesum). The cat has a voracious appetite as it "walloped" all the leaves and shoots of the plant. The Adenium Obesum is now in a baldy state.

[cho-cho-san]

Spent this afternoon Googling and realised that this is a cat of the Oleander Hawkmoth (Deilephila nerii or Daphnis nerii).

Grateful if Mod could shift this thread to "Moth Photography" ?
Thank you, (embarassed)

[benetay]

Thats a very nice looking cat, glad that you have got the ID!

Cheers!

[cho-cho-san]

Thank you benetay.

Glad to learn something new today.

Cheers !

[atronox]

Spent this afternoon Googling and realised that this is a cat of the Oleander Hawkmoth (Deilephila nerii or Daphnis nerii).

Grateful if Mod could shift this thread to "Moth Photography" ?
Thank you, (embarassed)

Yup, its Daphnis nerii. Deilephila is the elephant hawkmoth (deilephila elpenor).

[Painted Jezebel]

I had thought that the cat was Daphnis nerii, but the absence of the blue eye-spots just behind the head made me wonder.

As this is a moth, perhaps this thread could be transferred to that forum, and then Roger may be able to advise the frequency of these 'blind' cats as compared the the blue-spotted ones.

[cho-cho-san]

I had thought that the cat was Daphnis nerii, but the absence of the blue eye-spots just behind the head made me wonder.

As this is a moth, perhaps this thread could be transferred to that forum, and then Roger may be able to advise the frequency of these 'blind' cats as compared the the blue-spotted ones.

Sorry about the missing blue eye-spots. Actually it got hidden in between the folds just behind the head.
Here is another shot of the same cat, but this time with the blue eye-spots.

[Painted Jezebel]

Ah! Thank you. So it is not 'blind'. Roger, kindly disregard my last query!

[Commander]

Thread moved to Moth Photography sub-forum.

These cats eat Oleander, Vinca (Periwinkle) and a number of other "toxic" plants. I believe Adenium is also a "toxic" plant too.

However, the cats and adult moths don't seem to be immune to predators because of this, unlike those of butterflies.