Page 479 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Sphingidae
DISTRIBUTION Tropical and subtropical South Asia, east Asia, and Southeast Asia
to Australia, and north (as a migrant) to Russian Far East
HABITAT Forest margins, open scrub, orchards, cultivated landscapes,
and suburban gardens
HOST PLANTS Fuchsia spp., Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas), grapevine (Vitis
spp.), ornamental Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana), Taro
(Colocasia esculenta), and many other species from the families
Araceae, Vitaceae, and Onagraceae
NOTE Gaudy caterpillar that waves its horn as it walks
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but very common and widespread

ADULT WINGSPAN
2⅛–3⅛ in (54–80 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
2⅜–3⅛ in (60–80 mm)
THERETRA OLDENLANDIAE
TARO HORNWORM 477

(FABRICIUS, 1775)

The Taro Hornworm hatches from pale green eggs laid singly
on host plant leaves. It is initially a pale yellowish green but
becomes darker by the second instar, and yellow-and-black
eyespots appear on most segments. By the fourth instar its basic
color is blackish, and it resembles the mature larva. Feeding
mainly by day, the caterpillar prefers younger leaves, seedpods,
and ower heads, often stripping growing shoots, particularly

in the nal instar. It is an occasional pest of cultivated grapes and
Sweet Potato. The larvae pupate in a loose cocoon among leaf
litter; some pupae overwinter.

There are one to two generations a year in northern China,
with adults mainly in July and August. However, moths can be
found between June and September over most of central and
southern China, although it is probable that most are migrants.
The adults, but not larvae, are easily confused with several
other similar species, most notably Theretra margarita and
T. silhetensis. The caterpillar’s common name is derived from
Taro, one of its favorite tropical food plants.

The Taro Hornworm is largely dark gray,
almost black in color with bands and lines of
white speckling and a small, dull head, It has a
dorsolateral line of yellow and orange spots on Actual size
segments two to four, continuing as a stripe of
small, gray spots, interspersed with reddish
eyespots, up to the base of the horn. Its thin,
straight horn is black with a white tip and a
yellow ring near the base.