Seen here eating Oleander leaf. It also cleans up the buds and new growth. Probably it becomes a nice butterfly but when it shows its lovely green body, it is a nuisance! What this could be? It is always first sighted for the season on the Nerium oleander.
Another, not green, but found probably by accident on my pond's water lily leaf.
The first one looks like an Oleander Hawk Moth
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hlasek.com/foto/daphnis_nerii_ag3329.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hlasek.com/daphnis_nerii_ag3329.html&h=500&w=650&sz=75&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=gs5iCuwrlDWb2M:&tbnh=105&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Doleander%2Bsphinx%2Bmoth%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DDNUS,DNUS:2006-36,DNUS:en
This is a neat pic of one:
http://www.pbase.com/lcgoh/image/70781045
This message was edited Jul 22, 2007 12:49 PM
That 1st photo, in particular, is a fine crisp clear shot!
I also agree with fly_girl .. that it's the caterpillar of the Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii). And the caterpillar turns into another stunningly beautiful hawk moth! This web site, also: here > http://www.leps.it/indexjs.htm?SpeciesPages/DaphnNerii.htm .. provides more photos, and some very interesting images of the progression through the many various color phases of the caterpillar, to pupation - including the greenish color phase as your photo depicts.
I've not a clue as to where to start lookin' for any ID assistance, to your 2nd image. Besides, I'm still gasping from viewing the first one .. * But, oh my - it seems that after (I've) looked at few dozen cats in a ten minute time span - they all begin to look the same. Now, even your 2nd photo .. seems to bear some resemblance to yet another phase of the (Oleander) caterpillar. Is it just 'me' ? (Fly_girl: 'help')
.. lol ..
Sure hope that you'll consider adding your caterpillar photo/s to the DG Bug Files for the Oleander Hawk Moth (Daphnis nerii) - for it is currently void of any images. Here ya go > http://davesgarden.com/bf/go/3285/
- Magpye
This message was edited Jul 22, 2007 1:35 PM
Sorry Magpye, you're on your own here....no idea about the second one. LOL
Dinu, can you raise the OH moth inside, say...in a reptarium or a container? They have so many pests and he will turn into a beautiful moth.
You could open a thread in the Humminbird/butterfly forum showing his progress.....I would love to see it and I'm sure others would too...right Magpye?
This message was edited Jul 22, 2007 2:23 PM
Whaaaa, heck yeah .. You betcha!
There's no doubt .. that there would be a proverbial 'slew' (bunch) of us flutterbye & moth 'fanciers' .. of whom would LUV the opportunity that you could provide, Dinu!!
Make his temporary 'nuisance' status .. more of a productive ploy to delightfully entertain, amaze, fascinate, and totally thrill a rather large theatrical community of nature lovers! Not to fail to mention - jes plain COOL!! .. heehee
You can do this, Dinu ... C'mon?? Get all of your beautiful family involved.
- Magpye
Dinu ..
Please know that (we) didn't mean to make you run away. .. heehee
- Magpye
Not run away, but watching from a distance, with hands folded in front of the chest!
Now tell me what sort of container that needs and what feeding has to be done? Ventilation... sun.. let me know a bit of info and I'll drive my DW crazy with this venture!!!!
I have to find another catty as I threw that one out after picturing it as it had already eaten half of the blooms on the shrub.
I found one yesterday but it was brownish - as you say, it is in another stage. But I doubt the one that is in the second pic. It had made holes in my water lily leaf by this afternoon. I wonder how it came there.
