Theretra oldenlandiae

Impatiens Hawk Moth

Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Sphingidae
Genus:	Theretra
Species:	T. oldenlandiae
Binomial name
*Theretra oldenlandiae* (Fabricius, 1775)^[1]
Synonyms
Sphinx oldenlandiae Fabricius, 1775 Sphinx drancus Cramer, 1777 Deilephila proxima Austaut, 1892 Deilephila argentata Stevens, 1828 Chaerocampa sobria Walker, 1856 Chaerocampa puellaris Butler, 1876 Theretra oldenlandiae fuscata Gehlen, 1941 Theretra oldenlandiae olivascens Inoue, 1973 Chaerocampa argentata Butler, 1875 Chaerocampa firmata Walker, 1856 Sphinx oldenlandiae lewini Thon, 1828

The Impatiens Hawk Moth (Theretra oldenlandiae) is a member of the Sphingidae family found in India, China, Borneo, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, and Australia.

They are often considered a pest on both Busy lizzie (Impatiens wallerana) and Fuchsias (Fuchsia sp.). Caterpillars of this species have also been seen feeding on Arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica), Argentine trumpet vine (Clytostoma callistegioides), Climbing guinea flower (Hibbertia scandens), Billy goat plum (Planchonia careya), Godetia (Clarkia amoena), Star cluster (Pentas lanceolata), Australian native violet (Viola hederacea) and Slender grape (Cayratia clematidea). The larvae are black with yellow dots, they have a small spine on their tails and use it as a mimicked head. Before pupating the caterpillar will reach a length of about 70 mm.

The adult is brown with light brown stripes down the thorax. The stripes are mimicked on the inner margin of the forewing.^[2]

Subspecies

Theretra oldenlandiae oldenlandiae (from Sri Lanka and southern India north to northern Pakistan, northern Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. Then northeastwards through China to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, and then southeastwards through South East Asia as far as the Andaman Islands, the Solomon Islands and the Philippines. Strongly migratory northward to northeastern China (Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin), eastern Russia (Primorskiy Kray) and northern Japan)^[3]
Theretra oldenlandiae lewini (Thon, 1828) (Australia)
Theretra oldenlandiae samoana Gehlen, 1941 (Samoa)

Larva

References

↑ "CATE Creating a Taxonomic eScience - Sphingidae". Cate-sphingidae.org. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
↑ "Theretra oldenlandiae". Retrieved 2009-10-31.
↑ Pittaway AR; Kitching I. "''Theretra oldenlandiae oldenlandiae'' at Sphingidae of the Eastern Palaearctic". Tpittaway.tripod.com. Retrieved 2011-10-25.

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