Death-head Hawk Moth

Name : Acherontia lachesis (Fabricius, 1798)
Family : SPHINGIDAE Latreille, 1802
Subfamily : Sphinginae Latreille, [1802]
Tribe : Acherontiini Boisduval, [1875]
Larva host plant :Clerodendrum paniculatum (Labiatae), Stachytarpheta indica (Verbenaceae)

---

Life History Record :
- ?? ?? ????: Larva from Fraser’s Hill, feeds on Clerodendrum sp.
- 11 Jan 2012 : Larva from Lyndi Whye, feeds on variegated Stachytarpheta indica

---

Date : Jan 2011
Location : Namly Avenue, Bukit Timah, Singapore.
Host Plant : Stachytarpheta indica (Verbenaceae)

5th instar:

Pre-pupa:

Just pupated:

Pupa:

Pupation period : 18 days.

Adult:

Eupanacra elegantulus (Herrich-Schaeffer, [1856])

Name       : Eupanacra elegantulus (Herrich-Schaeffer, [1856])
Family      : SPHINGIDAE Latreille, 1802
Subfamily : MACROGLOSSINAE Harris, 1839 
Tribe        : Macroglossini Harris, 1839
Larva host plant : Alocasia, Diffenbachia, Anthurium, Philodendron
Female : Mar 2008 Singapore 

Female : Mar 2008 Singapore 


Jan 2009 Singapore

 
Male : Mar 2008 Singapore

 
Male : Dec 2011 Singapore

Reference : The Sphingidae of Southeast-Asia

---

Life History Record :
- Dec 2011– Diffenbachia
- May 2009– Colocosia Black Magic
- Apr 2009 – Anthurium
- Jan 2009 - Philodendron selloum
- Mar 2008 – Alocacsia and Diffenbachia

---

Date : 3 Dec 2011 source : Gan Location : MacRitchie Reservoir, Singapore Host plant : Diffenbachia

---

Date : 25 May 2009 source : GCS member “wolfman” Location : Along Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore Host plant : Colocasia Black Magic

---

Date : 28 Mar 2008 Source : Ling Chai Joo, ZMPS Parent volunteer Location : Zhong Hua Primary School (ZMPS), Singapore Host Plant : Alocasia and Diffenbachia amoena (Dumbcane) Ovum ~ 1.3mm  2nd Instar larva ~ 14.5mm Larvae T-B : Prepupa, 5th, 3rd instar Final instar pre-pupa larva  : Pupa :   Imago (male) :

---

Date : 9 Jan 2009 Source : Mubaraka, GCS member. Location : Along Holland Road, Singapore. Host Plant : Araceae - Philodendron selloum Larva : 5th instar Pre-Pupa : The caterpillar build a ‘cocoon’   That is how the caterpillar looks like before it change into Pupa.  it is now about 0.6 of its original size Pupa : ~ 39mm Adult (male):

---

Date : April 2009 Source : Navin Brian, Location : Yio Chu Kang-Seletar area, Singapore. Host Plant : Anthurium (Araceae)

Rare hawk moth found at HDB void deck

Last Sunday over breakfast at a coffee shop, Simon mentioned he saw a hawk moth at the void deck at Toh Yi drive.  He showed me the photo on his phone and it is a species which I have not seen before. 

The moth was eventually identified as as Meganoton nyctiphanes (Walker, 1856), the only species of Meganoton in Singapore and an uncommon hawk moth !

Well done Simon !

The other Meganotons (photos below) that are commonly seen in Malaysia are M. analis and M. rubescens

---

Meganoton analis, Fraser’s Hill, 2008 

 

Meganoton rubescens, Fraser’s Hill, 2008

Neogurelca hyas (Walker, 1856), 16 May 2009

 

In April I reared a N. hyas larva which is green in color.  In May I found one which is brown !

---

Breeding Record [21]

Date : 16 May 2009
Name : Neogurelca hyas (Walker, 1856)
Family : SPHINGIDAE Latreille, 1802
Location : Along Clementi Road, Singapore
Larva host plant : Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae)

19 May 2009 : mid instar larva
 

25 May 2009 : Pupa

02 Jun 2009 : Eclosed, pupation period 7 days

See also Neogurelca hyas breeding record

---

Neogurelca hyas (Walker, 1856), 8 May 2009

Breeding Record [17]
Date : 08 May 2009
Name : Neogurelca hyas (Walker, 1856)
Family : SPHINGIDAE Latreille, 1802
Location : Along Clementi Road
Larva host plant : Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae)

14 May 2009 – Final instar larva

Larva of Macroglossum sitiene (green) and Neogurelca hyas
 
17 May 2009 : Pupated

25 May 2009 : Eclosed, 8 days pupation period.

See also Neogurelca hyas breeding record

---

Caterpillar feeding on Desert Rose plant

During a recent GCS gathering, a GCS member told me she had a big green caterpillar eating her Desert Rose (Adenium obesium) plant, a plant belonging to the Dogbane Family ( Apocynaceae )

She sent me a photo and it turned out the caterpillar is another hawk moth caterpillar, the Oleander Hawk-moth - Daphnis nerii.

In Singapore, Oleander Hawk-moth caterpillar is usually found feeding on Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus) , PinWheel Jasmine (Tabernaemontana sp) and Oleander (Nerium oleander), all  belonging to the Apocynaceae family. 

A 3-4” long green caterpillar

Last week, a GCS member sent me a SMS asking if I am interested in a 3~4” long green caterpillar.  Caterpillar of this size in a garden is most likely that of Hawk moth or Atlas moth.  On probing I found out that it has a tail and was feeding on a plant belonging to Araceae family.  This confirmed it is a Hawk moth caterpillar and most likely that of Eupanacra elegantulus.
The member was kind enough to bring the caterpillar and a cutting of the host plant to me on that evening and the caterpillar was confirmed to be that of Eupanacra elegantulus.

Macroglossum sitiene Walker, 1856

Name       : Macroglossum sitiene Walker, 1856
Family      : SPHINGIDAE Latreille, 1802
Subfamily : MACROGLOSSINAE Harris, 1839 
Tribe        : Macroglossini Harris, 1839
Genus       : Macroglossum Scopoli, 1777
Larva host plant : Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae)

 

Reference : Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic

---

Life History Record :
- Nov 2001 – Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae)

---

Date         : 9 Nov 2001 Location   : Clementi Woods Park, Singapore Host Plant : Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae) Ovum : Laid single at the underside of leaf Larva : 2nd instar larva Final instar larva – green form   Just before it pupate, the larva changes to pink color Pupa : Adult :

---