Macroglossum hirundo

Macroglossum hirundo (Boisduval, 1832)
(previously known as Macroglossa hirundo)
MACROGLOSSINAE , SPHINGIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland))

The caterpillars of this species initially are green with a black forward curving spine on the tail.

brown form
(Photo: courtesy of Craig Nieminski, Darwin)

Later they can become brown or green, covered in small white dots. There is a dark dorsal line which may be fragmented into a line of dashes. A pair of pale dorso-lateral lines run from the head to the tail. They also have a dark brown spine on the tail (which is quite harmless). They grow to a length of about 6 cms.

They feed on various members of the RUBIACEAE family, including :

Alahee ( Canthium odoratum ),

Dye Plant ( Coelospermum reticulatum ),

Mirror Bush ( Coprosma repens ),

Sweet Morinda ( Morinda jasminoides ),

Ant Plant ( Myrmecodia beccarii ),

Pavetta ( Pavetta australiensis ), and

Hairy Psychotria ( Psychotria loniceroides ).

(Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland))

The pupa is brown with a row of black spots along each side.

(Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland))

The adult moths have patterned grey or brown forewings, with a pale bar across the middle of each one. The hindwings are yellow with a broad black border. The moth has a wingspan of about 4 cms.

(Specimen: courtesy of the The Australian Museum)

The eggs are spherical and off-white. They are laid singly under the leaf of a foodplant.

(Photo: courtesy of Tom and David Sleep, Queensland))

The species is found as various subspecies in:

Cook Islands,

Fiji,

Society Islands,
and as the subspecies errans in Australia in

Northern Territory,

Queensland, and

New South Wales.

Fiji, 2001