Hawk moth caterpillar - Hippotion sp (Sphingidae)

No idea what this caterpillar can be, only that in the bacl the last two sets of spots looked like these eye spots that some ctaerpillar use for mimicry. The way I remember it could have been like 5 cm at least. It was big :-)
Spodoptera

comments (8)

Ernst

Lion

Possibly a hawk moth caterpillar ? Posted 4 years ago
1. Patomarazul
  
  Lion
  
  Hello, many thanks Ernst! see my reply to Christine. Posted 4 years ago

Christine Young

Lion

I agree with Ernst...Looks like something from the family Sphingidae. Maybe Hippotion sp. Posted 4 years ago
1. Patomarazul
  
  Lion
  
  Hello, thanks for the suggestions! What makes me doubt on this is that this caterpillar does not have this little hook shape at the top of the rear end that the caterpillars of hawkmoth have..Could it be a different moth? Posted 4 years ago
2. 1. Ernst
    
    Lion
    
    Try swallowtail butterfly caterpilar Posted 4 years ago
  2. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    Ahhh, no butt horn. Some sphingid caterpillars have a reduced or absent horn, especially in the final instar. But, as you and Ernst suggest, it could also be something different. Posted 4 years ago
  3. 1. Patomarazul
      
      Lion
      
      Yes, like Ernst I am heading toward Papilionidae family but still looking..but I don't exclude moths yet..thanks both for the tips! Posted 4 years ago
    2. 1. Patomarazul
        
        Lion
        
        Christine and Erns, I checked back all the pictures and I can see the hook in one of them, is just that that side of the caterpillar was either damaged or it was molting skin so now I am indeed more confident that this could be a sp from the genus Hippotion. Some people from a caterpillar page in Facebook also suggested it. So I will keep looking in this genus. Many thanks! :-) Posted 4 years ago

No species identified

The species on this photo is not identified yet. When signed in, you can identify species on photos that you uploaded. If you have earned the social image editing capability, you can also identify species on photos uploaded by others.