Spiked caterpillars: 10 native species

Don't be frightened if you spot a caterpillar with a stinger in the garden. In most cases it is a harmless caterpillar of the hawkmoth family (Sphingidae).

Evening peacock butterfly (Smerinthus ocellata)

• Occurrence: all over Europe, in orchards, parks, damp forests
• Occurrence: July to September
• Size: 7 to 8 centimeters
• Color: first green, then pink
• Feature: blue anal horn
• Forage plants: willow (Salix), poplar (Populus), apple tree (Malus)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: no

Bumble bee (Hemaris fuciformis)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Europe, on the edges of forests, on flower meadows
• Occurrence: April to May, June to July
• Size: 3.5 to 4 centimeters
• Color: light green, white longitudinal line on the sides, rough surface with point warts, dark colored belly
• Characteristic: reddish anal horn, dark at the end
• Forage plants: bedstraw (Galium), honeysuckle (Lonicera), rhododendron (Rhododendron)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: yes

Pine hawk (Sphinx pinastri)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Central and Southern Europe, in coniferous forests
• Occurrence: April to May
• Size: 7.5 to 8 centimeters
• Color: green with a brown back, creamy white vertical stripes on the sides, lighter head with dark stripes, an oily sheen before pupation
• Feature: dark anal horn
• Forage plants: pine (Pinus), spruce (Picea)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: no

Note: The pine hawk is one of the most common hawk species in Central Europe. It is also known as the fir arrow.

Bedstraw hawk (Hyles gallii)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Central Europe, at forest edges, in spas, on heathland
• Occurrence: July to September
• Size: 7 to 8 centimeters
• Coloring: green or brown with black spots or black with yellow spots, red legs
• Feature: red anal horn
• Forage plants: bedstraw (Galium), fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: especially protected

Privet hawk (Sphinx ligustri)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Central Europe, at the edges of forests, in parks and gardens
• Occurrence: July to September
• Size: 9 to 10 centimeters
• Color: bright green, white-pink or white-purple stripes, yellow dots
• Characteristic: bright anal horn, glossy black at the end
• Forage plants: privet (Ligustrum), lilac (Syringa), ash (Fraxinus)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: no

Linden Hawk (Mimas tiliae)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Central Europe, on the edges of forests, in parks and avenues
• Occurrence: April and July
• Size: 4 to 5.5 centimeters. Color: pale green or pale blue, triangular head capsule
• Feature: blue-purple anal horn
• Forage plants: Linden (Tilia), alder (Alnus), elm (Ulmus)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: no

Poplar Hawk (Laothoe populi)

• Occurrence: all over Europe, in forests, gardens and parks
• Occurrence: April to May
• Size: 4 to 5 centimeters
• Color: green with yellow horizontal stripes
• Feature: yellow anal horn
• Forage plants: Poplar (Populus), Willow (Salix)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: no

Scabiosa swarmers (Hemaris tityus)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Europe, at the edges of forests, in gardens
• Occurrence: April to May, June to July
• Size: 4 to 5 centimeters
• Color: initially green, later purple throughout, light longitudinal lines on both sides of the body, purple spots in each segment
• Characteristic: reddish anal horn, two black hairs at the end
• Forage plants: Scabiosa (Scabiosa), common devil's bite (Succisa pratensis), bedstraw (Galium)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: yes

Pigeon tail (Macroglossum stellatarum)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Central and Southern Europe, in gardens and parks
• Occurrence: April to June
• Size: 4.5 to 5 centimeters
• Color: mostly green or brown, white spots on the body, one yellow and one white longitudinal line on the sides
• Characteristic: green anal horn, black and yellow at the end
• Forage plants: bedstraw (Galium), spurflower (Centranthus), madder (Rubia tinctorum), woodruff (Galium odoratum)
• Toxicity: no
• Endangerment: no

Spurge Hawk (Hyles euphorbiae)

• Occurrence: everywhere in Central Europe, open grasslands
• Occurrence: April to May, sometimes also August to September
• Size: 7 to 9 centimeters
• Coloring: red base color, white and small black spots on the sides, large yellow, green or orange spots, yellow or red longitudinal line on the sides
• Feature: red anal horn with black tip
• Forage plants: beach spurge (Euphorbia paralias), cypress spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)
• Toxicity: The intestinal contents are poisonous for predators
• Endangerment: endangered species, is on the red list

Note: The milkweed hawk, which emerges from the colorful caterpillars with sting, is considered to be the largest moth in Central Europe with a wingspan of 9 to 11 centimeters.

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