Pale Brown Hawk Moth

Family Lepidoptera, Theretra latreillii

Description:

Large brown caterpillar approx 5cm long, with pink and white eye spots. Defensive stance: front half of its body reared up. If I got a little too close with the macro lens it retracted its head a little and the 'eye spots' closed.

Habitat:

Browsing on Cayratia sp. at Cattana Wetlands QLD

1 Species ID Suggestions

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Theretra moth

Theretra sp. Theretra

8 Comments

Andrea Lim 11 years ago

Thank you ceherzog and Mayra!

MayraSpringmann 11 years ago

Nice one , especially the third photo!

ceherzog 11 years ago

What interesting watermelon slice eyespots!

AndreaLim 11 years ago

Thank you Phillip and Jan for your feedback. Much appreciated!

JanBowman 11 years ago

Fantasic - I had Bee Hawks Moth lavae on my gardinia in Brisbane and today photographed an emerged moth - will post photo soon.

Nimbid Ditavi 11 years ago

How amazing! I really like the second picture, awesome captures Andrea!

AndreaLim 11 years ago

Hi Daniele. Yes it looks pretty good for it. Same defensive pose and same colours. Thank you for that. Much appreciated.

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Hi Andrea! Could this be from the genus Theretra? Check this is one, the brown form of which has similarities:
http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...