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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The unusual caterpillar with a prominent “eye” near its head is the larva of the oleander hawkmoth, Daphnis nerii (Linnaeus, 1758), a sphinx moth in the family Sphingidae. Its thoracic eyespot, pale line along the side and curved rear horn make it distinctive, but its color can vary from green to brown.
How to identify an oleander hawkmoth caterpillar
Look at the pattern and body shape rather than relying on color alone. A mature larva has a conspicuous eyespot on the third thoracic segment, a pale dorsolateral line running along the side, and a stout tail horn that curves downward in its final instar. Green and brown individuals are both described, so neither color by itself confirms or rules out the species. (See the Singapore field account and the Belgian species catalogue.)
The prominent ocelli—the eyespot-like markings—also feature in a reported response to disturbance: a Singapore account describes larvae tucking their heads and exposing the markings. That observation does not establish a specific defensive function for the eyespot.
What does the caterpillar eat?
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is the plant behind the moth’s common name, but it is not the only recorded host. Species accounts also list periwinkle (Vinca) and grape (Vitis vinifera); a Singapore field account documented final-instar larvae on pinwheel plant (Tabernaemontana divaricata). These are recorded examples, not a complete list for every population. (Sources: Singapore field account and Belgian species catalogue.)
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Where does Daphnis nerii occur?
Species accounts describe a broad range across Africa, southern Europe and Asia. The 2009 Singapore account gives a more detailed list, including Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Yunnan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and North Borneo. It also reports introductions to southern Japan, Hawaii and Guam. These records distinguish a wide-ranging species from populations established beyond the areas described as its native range; they do not mean every population has the same origin. (Sources: Leong and D’Rozario’s 2009 Singapore account and Belgian species catalogue.)
A note about Britain
In Britain, UKMoths describes the oleander hawkmoth as a rare vagrant that does not appear every year, with likely encounters from August to October. That seasonal note applies to Britain, not to the species worldwide. (UKMoths species account.)
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What does it turn into, and how long does development take?
The caterpillar develops into the adult oleander hawkmoth, a member of the sphinx moth family. Development times vary with conditions: the Belgian catalogue gives 5–12 days for hatching, depending on temperature, and says the pupal stage usually lasts 2–3 weeks, also depending on temperature. Those are catalogue-reported durations, not a fixed timetable for every individual or location. (Belgian species catalogue.)
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