Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar

A large, impressive caterpillar with distinctive features, the elephant hawk moth has snake like markings over most of its body, 4 remarkable eye like markings in its mid-area and an aggressive looking sting-like horn on its rear. When threatened, the hawk moth can bulge its mid-body to accentuate its eye markings and give the appearance of a dangerous animal. A predator such as a bird might be circling above the caterpillar, see those eye markings, and refrain from attacking, thinking the would-be butterfly might not be such easy prey after all.