Death's-head hawkmoth

Death's-head hawkmoth
Acherontia lachesis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Sphingidae
Tribe: Acherontiini
Genus: Acherontia
Laspeyres, 1809
Species

A. atropos — African death's head hawkmoth
A. styx — lesser death's head hawkmoth
A. lachesis — greater death's head hawkmoth

Larva
Thorn-like horn on the back

The name death's-head hawkmoth refers to any of three moth species of the genus Acherontia (Acherontia atropos, Acherontia styx and Acherontia lachesis). The former species is found throughout Africa and in Europe, the latter two are Asian; most uses of the common name refer to the African species. These moths are easily distinguishable by the vaguely human skull-shaped pattern of markings on the thorax. They are large nocturnal moths with brown and yellow or orange coloring, and all three species are fairly similar in size, coloration and life cycle.