Page 476 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Sphingidae
DISTRIBUTION Most of Europe (except Iberia, Ireland, Scotland, and northern
Scandinavia), the Caucasus, southern Turkey, Lebanon, Russia,
western Siberia, and northern Kazakhstan
HABITAT Pine forests, gardens, and parks
HOST PLANTS Mainly pines, including Scots Pine (Pinus silvestris), Swiss Pine
(Pinus cembra), Norway Spruce (Picea abies), and Siberian
Spruce (Picea obovata); also cedars (Cedrus spp.) and European
Larch (Larix decidua)

NOTE Well-camou aged caterpillar that feeds on pines
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but considered secure within its range

ADULT WINGSPAN
2¾–3¾ in (70–96 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
3–3⅛ in (75–80 mm)
SPHINX PINASTRI
PINE HAWKMOTH
474
(LINNAEUS, 1758)

Pine Hawkmoth caterpillars hatch from around 100 pale yellow
eggs laid on pine needles or twigs and immediately consume
their eggshell. At rst they are a dull yellow with a large head

and prominent forked horn but become green in color as they
feed, with light yellow stripes at the second instar, creating an
e ective camou age. Early instars feed only on the surface of

a needle, but later instars consume the entire needle from tip
to base. After four to eight weeks, when full grown, the larvae
become restless, descend to the ground, and often wander some

The Pine Hawkmoth caterpillar, in its nal instar, distance to pupate under moss or fallen needles.
is brown marked with green, or green with brown
along the back. It has many thin, dark creases
dividing up its smooth, slender body, a black In the north of the species’ range, there is one brood annually,
posterior horn, reddish, dark-ringed spiracles,

and white and creamy-yellow dashes. The large, and adults y in June or July. Farther south, there may be two
glossy head is tan with lighter and darker vertical generations, with adults eclosing in May or June and again in
markings, the prolegs are brown, and the true
legs are creamy white. August. The larvae are attacked by many parasitoids, especially
the parasitic fly Phryxe erythrostoma. The Pine Hawkmoth
caterpillar and adult are similar in appearance to several other
Sphinx species, including S. maurorum (southwest Europe and
northwest Africa), and S. bhutana, S. caligineus, and S. yunnana
(eastern Asia).

Actual size