Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Poplar Hawk-moth

Laothoe populi

Description:

This caterpillar is around 6 cm long, green with tiny yellow/bright green dots and pink/magenta spots. It has a spike on its "tail". It curled and jumped, making whip-like movements when it became scared.

Habitat:

Urban.

Notes:

I found this beautiful caterpillar on the ground of a car park and since there were a lot of birds flying about I decided to bring it with me and placed a lettuce leaf near it. Since I don't know what it is, I'm unsure if it will even eat it and have no idea of what its needs are or what it'll become, so I'd appreciate if someone could help me identify it quickly. I'd also like to know where the best place to free it would be, if anyone knows. EDIT: The Caterpillar is now free, unfortunately I did not have the camera with me, but it quickly started digging down as soon as she felt the dirt beneath her.

3 Comments

Sof
Sof 9 years ago

Thank you so much for the info, I know the perfect place to free it then :)

Davidbygott
Davidbygott 9 years ago

Because it was so big, on the ground, and is turning brown, this suggests that it may have finished feeding and is looking for a place to pupate. It will want to bury itself in the ground - preferably soft soil near a tree. Hope this helps!

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 9 years ago

Hi Zariga! This looks like a Poplar Hawk-moth caterpillar (Laothoe populi). They feed on poplar (Populus), aspen (P. tremula) and sallow (Salix).

Sof
Spotted by
Sof

Portugal

Spotted on Oct 23, 2014
Submitted on Oct 23, 2014

Related Spottings

Temenis laothoe Nyárfa szender Poplar Hawk-moth Poplar hawk-moth

Nearby Spottings

White wagtail Keeled Skimmer (Female) Hairy dragonfly Common Redstart (female)

Reference

Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team