Bug FAQDeath's Head Hawkmoth
Acherontia atropos · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: African death head's hawkmoth, African death's head hawkmoth, deaths head hawkmoth, greater death's head hawkmoth
Source: Wikipedia
The African death's-head hawkmoth is a large moth with a wingspan of about 5 inches (13 cm). It is easily recognised by a skull-shaped pattern of short yellowish hairs on its thorax.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure 3.5 to 5 inches (80 to 120 mm) across.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
Superstitions claim the moth brings bad luck, but it is otherwise harmless.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
If threatened, the larva may click its mandibles or bite, though the bite does not harm human skin.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
No specific control measures are noted; the moth is considered only a minor pest to crops and beehives.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It occurs in southern Europe and much of Africa and sometimes migrates to the British Isles.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillar grows to about 120 to 130 mm before pupating underground.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The larva reaches 120 to 130 mm, then pupates in an underground chamber; the pupa is smooth and glossy with a fused proboscis.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults fly late at night, making them rarely seen.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to southern Europe and large parts of Africa.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is the best-known of three Acherontia species; the other two also have green, brown, and yellow larval colour forms.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Do they bite?
The caterpillar can bite if handled, but the bite is harmless to people.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
White-lined SphinxHyles lineataDamages trees, gardens or crops
Eurasian Hummingbird HawkmothMacroglossum stellatarum
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Carolina SphinxManduca sextaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Hummingbird ClearwingHemaris thysbeDamages trees, gardens or crops
Elephant HawkmothDeilephila elpenorSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acherontia_atropos
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.