Cephonodes picus

These caterpillars are usually green, with pale lines along the back and each side. The caterpillars have been found feeding on a variety of plants, including:

• Jasmine ( Jasminum, OLEACEAE ),
• Gardenia ( Gardenia, RUBIACEAE ), and
• Rambutan ( Nephelium, SAPINDACEAE ).

The adult moths soon lose the scales from the wings, leaving them transparent. The moths then resemble Bumble Bees, hence the name ‘Bee Hawks’ for the moths in this genus Cephonodes.

The wings have uniformly narrow opaque edges. The abdomen is brown with a dark band across one abdominal segment, and a dark dorsal mark on the adjacent segment. The moths have a wingspan of about 5 cms.

The species is found over much of the tropics, including