This side up

DEON VAN ONSELEN from Mookgophong writes: I found this interesting moth at our front door one evening. The arrowshaped marking on the wing is great – there’s no doubt which end is the head! What kind of moth is it?

Entomologist DUNCAN MACFADYEN says: The moth is called the arrow sphinx and it belongs to the hawk moth family. It’s actually the largest hawk moth in South Africa – some females have a wingspan of more than 150 mm.

The forewings have scalloped margins and are patterned with these characteristic white arrow-shaped markings. The larvae are big, green and covered with black spines. They feed on Natal plum, wild pear and raisin bush trees.