Paphos Life

Saw this on the patio when I got up in the morning! At first, I thought is was a present left by one of the cats but then it moved!
One with a teaspoon next to it for size comparison!
Finally, another view of it's side!
The culprit, an Oleander Hawk Moth larva in its final instar stage before pupating into an adult moth!


Shane

If you get them on an oleander bush, they can decimate the foliage almost like a swarm of locusts.

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Sun Jan 13, 2019 5:52 pm Shane, surely it's a little early for pupating given the current cold weather? I always understood that birds, butterflies and insects took their cue from the weather. They are beautiful moths though.

If anything, it seems very late as the pupa usually overwinters on the ground as a chrysalis before emerging when it's warm enough as the adult moth!


Shane