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Pictured together two elephant hawk moth Larva with those eyes four of them in total, are actually warning spots placed behind the mouthparts, which create the illusion of all-seeing vigilance and help deter predators.

The larva is about 75 millimetres (3.0 in) long, green and brown in colour. Like most hawk moth caterpillars, they have a backward curving spine or "horn" on the final abdominal segment. The anterior of the caterpillar appears to have the shape of a trunk-like snout.

It is this elephant look, rather than its large size, that gives the moth its name. When startled, the caterpillar draws its trunk into its foremost body segment. This posture resembles a snake with a large head and four large eye-like patches.

Insect | Brown | Caterpillar | Elephant | Garden