Page 456 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Sphingidae
DISTRIBUTION Temperate Europe, the Middle East, east to Lake Baikal, Siberia
HABITAT Damp, low-lying areas, stream and lake margins, and damp
woodland edges
HOST PLANTS Mainly poplar (Populus spp.) and willow (Salix spp.); rarely
other shrubs and trees
NOTE Cryptic caterpillar of probably the most common
European hawkmoth
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common and widespread

ADULT WINGSPAN
2¾–4 in (70–100 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2 –3⅜ in (65–85 mm)
LAOTHOE POPULI
POPLAR HAWKMOTH
454
(LINNAEUS, 1758)

Initially, young Poplar Hawkmoth larvae rest along the
underside of a leaf. After the second molt, however, they adopt
a more characteristic upside-down, sphinxlike posture, hanging
beneath and blending in with a leaf. The caterpillars are not very
active, tending to remain in the same feeding area throughout
their life, stripping several shoots bare. Depending on the quality

of the host plant, larvae may go through four, ve, or even six
The Poplar Hawkmoth caterpillar is initially pale instars before pupation, overwintering as a pupa.
green and rough, with small, yellow tubercles
and a cream-colored horn. With growth, yellow
lateral stripes appear, and the legs and spiracles Most larvae never reach pupation, due to predation and
become pink; the body color, however, usually
remains yellowish green with yellow tubercles. parasitism. The braconid wasp Microplitis ocellatae is the most
Some individuals may be nearly white with serious parasitoid; its cocoons can sometimes be seen stuck to the
cream stripes, or even blue gray. Any of these
forms can also be spotted with red. skin of caterpillars like little eggs. The genus includes a number
of similar-looking species, including Laothoe austauti (North
Africa), L. philerema (central Asia), L. amurensis (Palearctic
boreal zone), and L. habeli (northern China), which most closely
resembles L. populi. Adult wing color varies from pale buff,
through pale browns, reds, and grays to near black.

Actual size