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Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT

Hippotion celerio

Alice Springs Fauna •

Alice Springs Moths | Alice Springs Moths Index

The Hippotion celerio caterpillar occurs in several colour forms, including green, brown, red or dark grey. It usually has an eyespot on each side of the first and the second abdominal segments, with those on the first segment being larger in appearance, given the distinctive appearance. The caterpillar has a horn which is usually long and straight. The caterpillar are know to grow up to a length of 8 cm.

The following is thought to be the 4th instar stage of the Hippotion celerio (caterpillar).

The following is thought to be the 5th instar stage of the Hippotion celerio (caterpillar).

Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT
Hippotion celerio (caterpillar), Alice Springs NT

The adult form of the Hippotion celerio is a species of Hawk Moth, with a number of common names that include Gabi Moth, Silver-striped Hawk-moth, Vine Hawk-moth, Grapevine Hawk Moth or Vine Hawk Moth.

Check out our main Fauna Moths | Hippotion celerio (Vine Hawk Moth) and Western Australia Insects | WA Moths Index | Hippotion celerio


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Lepidoptera
  • Unranked: Ditrysia
  • Superfamily: Sphingoidea
  • Family: Sphingidae
  • Subfamily: Macroglossinae
  • Genus: Hippotion
  • Species: Hippotion celerio

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks for ID to Kim Sinclair, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277
  2. Many thanks for ID to Helen Schwencke, member of Australian butterflies and moths, https://www.facebook.com/groups/799465170167144/
  3. Hippotion celerio (Linnaeus, 1758), Grapevine Hawk Moth, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Hippotion celerio
  4. Vine Hawkmoth (Hippotion celerio), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/199458-Hippotion-celerio

Alice Springs MothsMoths Index Achaea sp Acontia nivipicta Aedia leucomelas (Sweet Potato Leaf Worm) Agrotis munda (Brown Cutworm Moth) Arhodia lasiocamparia Australian Striped Hawk Moth (Hyles livornicoides) Bag-shelter Moth & Processionary Caterpillar Carpenter Moth (Endoxyla cinereus) Chasmina pulchra (White Beauty) Cleora (Geometer Moth) Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Agrius convolvuli) Dasypodia selenophora (Southern Old Lady Moth) Destolinia lineata (Caterpillar of the Streaked Notodontid) Diatenes gerula (Erebid Moth) Dichromodes sp (Geometer Moth) Endoxyla Moth (family Cossidae) Gelechioid Moth Giant Wood Moth (Endoxyla cinereus) Godart’s Hawkmoth (Agrius godarti) Helicoverpa punctigera (Australian Fruitworm) Hippotion celerio Laced Day-Moth (Ipanica cornigera) Leptocneria binotata Mocis alterna (Bean Looper Moth) Yeperenye / Yipirinya Niguza spiramioides Owlet Moth (Eudesmeola lawsoni) Owlet Moth (Ophiusa parcemacula) Nacoleia megaspilalis Plume Moth (Pterophoridae)

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