Oleander Hawkmoth Chrysalis

Description:

Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758). This is the Oleander Hawkmoth in https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/86....... On June 23, 2023 when I posted that spotting, the larva had just reached its pre-pupation stage and I placed it in an old breeding cage to protect it from our resident Owl which must have spotted it. I had bred a number of species of Hawkmoth, some years ago (before I had access to the internet and Project Noah), but never an "Oleander". So I was keen to have a look at the Pupa. I patiently waited for 5 days and then gently sifted through the substrate until I felt the soft, leathery skin. When it gave a little "wriggle", I knew that all was well and carefully lifted it out of the cage and placed it on a sheet of paper to take the above pictures. The black dorsal stripe and the spots on the spiracles (also black) confirmed that my original identification of the larva, 5 days ago, was correct. Now, it is back safe and snug in its cage, under the soil and wood chip mix. With no more interference from me, nature will take its course and in a couple of weeks (the exact number of days is variable), I should have some photos of one of the most beautiful moths in the world and an hour or two after that, everyone on Project Noah will see it.

Habitat:

Spotted, in our backyard, eating the leaves of a Desert Rose (Adenium obesum). It had also devastated a Periwinkle (Catheranthus roseas) right next to the Desert Rose.

Notes:

The Sphingidae (the Sphinx Moth or Hawkmoth family) was named by Latreille in 1802. It is generally known that the family was named for the resemblance of the caterpillars to an Egyptian Sphinx - https://www.indiananature.net/pages/taxa.... However, a more interesting question (at least for me) - Is it possible that the ancient Egyptians were inspired to mummify their Pharoes by the life cycle of the Hawkmoth? I have not come across anything to confirm that idea, but who knows? There might be another Rosetta Stone awaiting discovery which will tell us all about it 😊