Laothoe populi, the poplar hawk-moth, is a
moth of the family
Sphingidae. The species is found throughout the
Palearctic realm and the
Near East, and is one of the most common members of the family in the region. On first hatching, the
larvae are pale green with small yellow tubercules and a cream-coloured tail horn, at which point they are known as hornworms. They later develop yellow diagonal stripes on the sides, and pink spiracles. This photograph, taken in
Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont, France, shows a late
instar of
L. populi.
Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp
_late_instar_larva.jpg)
