Asian Deathshead Hawkmoth Acherontia styx Pupae

Asian Deathshead Hawkmoth Acherontia styx Asia

This is the first time ever offered by WWB! This is a unique opportunity to rare this much sought-after species!

Acherontia styx occurs from Arabia eastward to Thailand. Closely related to the Deathshead found in Africa and Europe, the two species are distinguished by the thoracic skull, which in styx is a darker suffused orange, rather than the yellow skull seen on atropos. In styx the forewing discal spot is yellow, and in atropos it is white.

Larvae of both species are very varied in colouring and shade, often brought about by choice of foodplant and available light. Both are known to have a proportion of dark brown forms, though most are shades of green and yellow, sometimes tinged with blue.

In captivity Privet is usually the most convenient foodplant. The larvae are also recorded as accepting  Ash, Jasmines, Potato and most other Solanaceae, Clerodendrum, Grapevine and even Lantana. Like atropos, the larvae will sometimes accept unexpected foodplants!

Both species are continuously brooded, but the pupae can be held in cooler conditions for longer than in nature, waiting for the warmer spring conditions. This happens naturally in Southern Europe.

Our thanks to A. R. Pittaway for allowing the use of some of his photographs of this species.