Family SPHINGIDAE
Subfamily Macroglossinae
Hippotion celerio is found in all Australian states and territories. We have seen this moth between September and May.
In early evenings it comes to feed on nectar, extending its proboscis into garden flowers like Salvia and Pentas.
Larval Foodplant
The caterpillars feed on a number of plants. APOCYNACEAE: *Frangipani, ARACEAE: Alocasia brisbanensis, A. macrorhizos, *Colocasia esculenta, Typhonium brownii, *Zantedeschia aethiopica arum lily: BALSAMINACEAE: *Impatiens balsamina, I. oliveri and I. walleriana. BEGONIACEAE: *Begonia sp. BIGONIACEAE: *Podranea brycei, *P. ricasoliana. CONBOLBULACEAE: *Ipomoeae batatas, *I. indica. DILLENIACEAE: Hibbertia scandens. NYCTAGINACEAE: Boerhavia chinensis, B. diffusa, B. dominii; Commicarpus chinensis. POLYGONACEAE: *Emex australis, *Emex spinosa, *Rheum rhabarbarum rhubarb; Rumex sp. RUBIACEAE: *Pentas lanceolata. VITACEAE: Ampelocissus angustissima, C. opaca; Tetrastigma nitens; *Parthenocissus quinquefolia, *P. tricuspidata; *Vitas vinifera, *Vitas vinifera x rupestris.
An unusual interspecies mating of Hippotion celerio and H. scrofa in Victoria in 2022 photographed by Deirdre Houlden.