This photo of a Silver-striped Hawkmoth caterpillar, Hippotium celerio, was received by email on Christmas Day from Julie Dawson.
Julie was in mountains near Frigiliana in Andalusia in Southern Spain walking her dog when –
‘I came across the most delightful caterpillar which I saved from the dog and the road. It was like nothing I had ever seen with big false eyes, it looks like a sausage dog’
Another Hawkmoth caterpillar with ‘eye’ like markings commonly found in the British Isles and parts of Europe is the Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar.
The Silver-striped Hawkmoth is also known as the Vine Hawkmoth and in Australia the Gabi Moth.
It is resident in many warmer parts of the world such as Africa from where it migrates north to parts of Europe with a few reaching the British Isles in most years.
It’s not a species I’ve recorded yet in the British Isles but hopefully following the Striped Hawkmoth caterpillar in the summer it won’t be long before I get lucky.
The adult Striped Hawkmoth does show some likeness to the adult Silver-striped hawkmoth.
Thanks, Julie, for a great Christmas present.
Please continue to send in caterpillar enquiries – galleries from around the world containing many of your caterpillar images are being added to the site.
Some of them are truly remarkable and may be also be featured in latest sightings or species pages