Page 462 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Sphingidae
DISTRIBUTION Temperate Europe to temperate west Asia and central Asia
HABITAT Deciduous woodlands, open river-valley woodlands,
and warm, wet mountain scrub or woodlands
HOST PLANTS Mainly trees of Tiliaceae (linden or lime), Betulaceae,
Ulmaceae, and Rosaceae families
NOTE Caterpillar well adapted to suburban and urban gardens,
and parks
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but common, especially in suburban areas

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅜–3⅛ in (60–80 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2⅛–2 ⁄ in (55–65 mm)
MIMAS TILIAE
LIME HAWKMOTH
460
(LINNAEUS, 1758)

The Lime Hawkmoth caterpillar generally feeds high in the
crown of trees and large shrubs. It tends to rest motionless under
a leaf, then creeps up to the leaf edge to feed, exposing no more
than its moving head. Parks, cherry orchards, and avenues of
urban and suburban trees can support large populations. Upward
of 25 overwintering, twiglike, earth-colored pupae can be found
at the base of host trees, just beneath surface debris. There are
one or two generations a year.

Changing in color to dull greenish pink and grayish brown,
most larvae pupate at the base of the host, but some wander
o furiously in search of a suitable site, which is when they are

The Lime Hawkmoth caterpillar can be either
green or bluish gray, with seven yellow, oblique seen in parks and gardens. If touched during this stage, the larva
lateral stripes and yellow body tubercles.
A characteristic yellow warty shield covers the will twitch violently from side to side. This is a nonmigratory
anal ap. The horn is blue or purple on top, species, with several relict populations in Turkey, the Caucasus,
red and yellow underneath. The caterpillar is
noticeably more slender than those of related Iran, and northern Pakistan. The species name, tiliae, is derived
species, tapering anteriorly to a narrow,
triangular head. from the main host plant, species of Tilia (linden or lime).

Actual size