Oleander Hawkmoth Caterpillar

Description:

Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758). This is a final instar larva. The first two photos were taken on the host plant (Desert Rose) where the colour of the caterpillar blended very well with the plant and made it hard to see from a distance. However, when it changed to its pre-pupation colouring, it became extremely conspicuous. Its normal practice would be to hide and pupate in loose soil at the base of the plant, but (due to heavy rain in recent days) the ground was flooded and the caterpillar had nowhere to hide. This placed it in danger of being preyed upon by a resident owl. So, I removed it and placed it in a cage with a mixture of soil and small wood chips, two or three inches deep where it immediately burrowed under the surface. It will be safe there until it emerges as a beautiful moth. The last two photos were taken on a sheet of paper just before placing the caterpillar in the cage.

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.