What is it? This wonderful striped caterpillar is out in force this week munching through Sydney's gardenia plants. Be on the look out!
This is a Gardenia Bee Hawkmoth Caterpillar. Adults are diurnal moths that resemble bumble bees. Continue to feed the caterpillar. When it is ready, it will form a naked pupa underground.
They can be seen now as either caterpillars or adult moths. This species lays its eggs on Gardenia spp., in particular Gardenia augusta varieties which grow to around a meter in height with compact leaves - although this year they have been also common on Gardenias grown as standards. They have also been recorded on Lemon, Native gardenia and Scented Gardenia Bush.
The caterpillars have the typical spine at the tail end and come in two colour forms. One is mainly black with red-rimmed white spiracles, the other is mainly green with the same red-rimmed white spiracles and a grey back.
The green and yellow adults are day-flying and provide a great display by hovering like a large bee or humming bird in front of suitable flowers while feeding, or zooming around the food plants looking for suitable egg laying sites (under the leaves on the growing tips). The name 'bee-hawk' relates to their bee-like clear wings. Their appearance, feeding behaviour, and humming wing beats has also at times led to their being described as hummingbird-like moths, cicada-winged moths, and giant wasps!
The adults like flowers with deep nectar sources like Impatiens, Buddleia, Plumbago and Verbena but will also feed on daisy like flowers on occasion.
Information by Martyn Robinson, Communication Naturalist, Science Communication, Australian Museum, 6 College St, Sydney NSW 2010 and appeared in Newsletter of June 2002.
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