I must admit, I have neglected my Desert Rose for years. It used to be beautiful. (Pic 1)

And today I found a load of excrement around the base of the pot. (Pic 2)

Didn't take long to discover the culprit. (Pic 3)

There was even a baby one on another plant. (Pic 4)

So what's the best spray to keep these b*ggers away?

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

Following, interested as well.

It's a caterpillar of either a butterfly or Moth , I have had them on my

adenium too , just took them off and put them on another plant away

from it , they are only seasonal , and the leaves will grow back ,

 

regards Worgeordie

Natural sprays include peppermint, or garlic, or can try growing sage in the same pot.

Hi.   This is the caterpillar of Daphnis hypothous - a beautiful Hawkmoth species - related to the Oleander Hawkmoth.  I have these on my desert roses too - but the plants recover quickly - and seeing the beauty of the larvae and the moths outweighs the temporary carnage! (IMO). 

 

Edit:  any topical pyrethrum insecticidal spray will get rid of them ????

 

 

Daphnis nerii - Wikipedia

 

 

I feed them to the chooks.

4 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Daphnis nerii - Wikipedia

 

 

I feed them to the chooks.

The other common food plant for this species is oleander.  If larvae are taken from this plant - the cardiac glycosides ingested by the caterpillar could kill your chooks!    Caterpillar Revenge!

10 minutes ago, G Rex said:

Hi.   This is the caterpillar of Daphnis hypothous - a beautiful Hawkmoth species - related to the Oleander Hawkmoth.  I have these on my desert roses too - but the plants recover quickly - and seeing the beauty of the larvae and the moths outweighs the temporary carnage! (IMO). 

 

Edit:  any topical pyrethrum insecticidal spray will get rid of them ????

 

 

Wow is that the Camo version?

4 minutes ago, G Rex said:

The other common food plant for this species is oleander.  If larvae are taken from this plant - the cardiac glycosides ingested by the caterpillar could kill your chooks!    Caterpillar Revenge!

The wife has an obsession with the chooks, I wouldn't mind a thinning of the flock as long as they don't end up on my dinner plate.

Bit different to the Saudi Desert Roses

27 minutes ago, G Rex said:

Hi.   This is the caterpillar of Daphnis hypothous - a beautiful Hawkmoth species - related to the Oleander Hawkmoth.  I have these on my desert roses too - but the plants recover quickly - and seeing the beauty of the larvae and the moths outweighs the temporary carnage! (IMO)

 

My memory's going! Of course it's the Hawk Moth larva - I uploaded the first pic (somewhere) in 2015!  That moth was on a cactus.

 

I also uploaded the other pics at the same time showing my eaten Desert Rose and the dead larvae that I picked off it. 

But it did recover - so only one real attack in 7 years! I'll be keeping a sharp lookout for the next few weeks!

 

Edit: "Edit: any topical pyrethrum insecticidal spray will get rid of them" - Thanks!

 

My Wife is totally afraid of them every time she sees one she calls me and I have to take them off her beloved plants/trees. I just throw them in the pond.

Just found a new one. Now sliced and diced:

 

2 hours ago, JetsetBkk said:

Just found a new one. Now sliced and diced:

 

Snap!

here's a couple I am rearing inside - so the parasitic wasps don't get them

4 hours ago, Old Croc said:

The wife has an obsession with the chooks, I wouldn't mind a thinning of the flock as long as they don't end up on my dinner plate.

Python thinned our herd out, survivors got given to one of our

helpers, these were egg layers, costed more to feed them then what we got for the eggs

 

careful so they don't get into your beer - 555

11 hours ago, G Rex said:

Snap!

here's a couple I am rearing inside - so the parasitic wasps don't get them

Do they thrive on Singha beer.................

15 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

Bit different to the Saudi Desert Roses

Yep, have dozens of them plucked from the desert outside Khobar. they are in a box somewhere waiting to be unpacked ( for the last 6 years )......

16 hours ago, G Rex said:

The other common food plant for this species is oleander.  If larvae are taken from this plant - the cardiac glycosides ingested by the caterpillar could kill your chooks!    Caterpillar Revenge!

I saw mention that one or the other of these two species was found in England (probably an escapee) feeding on Vinca minor - periwinkle, which I believe is also toxic, IIRC.

16 hours ago, Old Croc said:

The wife has an obsession with the chooks, I wouldn't mind a thinning of the flock as long as they don't end up on my dinner plate.

My wife has somewhere around 40+ bantam chickens, many roosters.  She is going to thin the flock and probably get rid of them all, as they destroy the plantings.  She now chucks all the eggs so no more will hatch.  Recently one little hen seemed to inherit a bunch of eggs - she had about a dozen chicks following her!  Seems like cats or something get quite a few of the hatchlings.  On my recent 2 month visit to our house, I made friends with one old rooster and a couple others were getting used to me.

 

But back on track, these moths are beautiful!  I took an entomology course in college.  I admire those folks who can distinguish all these similar species, especially considering regional variations and whatnot. 

1 hour ago, Damrongsak said:

I saw mention that one or the other of these two species was found in England (probably an escapee) feeding on Vinca minor - periwinkle, which I believe is also toxic, IIRC.

The Daphnis genus are found throughout Europe, Asia, Northern Australia & Northern Africa.

Daphnis nerii, the Oleander Hawkmoth is a regularly found in the UK.  Daphnis nerii & D. hypothous can be found in Thailand. Sorry!  This is a passion of mine. I travelled, collected and studied moths for more than 40 years. 

my ex had chickens but I put the caterpillars in her favorite curry...after she left the chickens were next 

3 more of the boogers today. RIP.

 

Actually, R.I.Pieces.

 

11 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Yep, have dozens of them plucked from the desert outside Khobar. they are in a box somewhere waiting to be unpacked ( for the last 6 years )......

Used to get some really big ones on the road from Dharan to Safaniya