Agrius convolvuli
Sweet-potato Hawkmoth
No Local Name
f.SPHINGIDAE
Hawkmoths
Agrius convolvuli
Sweet-potato Hawkmoth
No Local Name
f.SPHINGIDAE
Hawkmoths
Cook Islands Status Summary
Show Notes
Intl. NamesSweet‑potato Hawkmoth EN Convolvulus Hawkmoth EN Convolvulus Sphinx‑moth EN Sweet‑potato Hawk‑moth EN Sweet‑potato Hornworm EN
Local NamesP,?NRR
Pacific NamesNo Content
Sci. NamesAgrius convolvuli (accepted name)
, Herse convolvuli, Sphinx abadonna, Sphinx convolvuli, Sphinx patatas
High Tax. Eng.k.Animals, p.Arthropods, spc.Hexapods, c.Insects, o.Moths and Butterflies, f.Hawkmoths - Moth
High Tax. Latink.ANIMALIA, p.ARTHROPODA, sp.ATELOCERATA, spc.HEXAPODA, c.INSECTA, sc.PTERYGOTA, o.Lepidoptera, spf.Bombycoidea, f.SPHINGIDAE
Natl. PresencePresent
Sth. PresenceRRPMG?AT?MK?MT?AK?PL?MN?TK?
Nth. PresenceTN?MH?RK?PK-NS?SW?
VouchersRR2000
Local OriginNative; Resident
Global RangeNative: w.Europe, Africa - Asia - French Polynesia, New Zealand;
HabitatLand; Lowlands, Horticultural Zone
ThreatenedNo Content
InvasivenessInvasive; Agriculture
BiosecurityNo Content
Medical StatusNo Content
Harmful StatusNo Content
UsesNo Content
IdentificationLarge moth (5cmTL, 10cm Wingspan) - female larger than male. Wings fold roof-like over body. Forewings light to dark grey, w/wo dark patches and markings; subterminal grey-brown wavy line; terminal irregular toothed whitish line. Hind wings grey withmore... 3 blackish bands. Thorax grey, silvery underneath. Abdomen grey above, lighter beneath; pink, black and whitish markings along sides. Legs cream. Head grey, eyes large, proboscis (=haustellum) can reach 10cm. Antennae slender, cream. CATERPILLAR to 10cm TL feeds on Morning-glory plants (CONVOLVULACEAE), have the hawkmoth a long horn posteriorly - called hornwroms. Body brownish to olive-green with a slanting pale stripe on the side of each segment. PUPA to 6cm with anterio-ventral "jug-handle" (containing the adult haustellum or "tongue").
Similar SpeciesNo Content
Interest NoteMainly active from dusk to midnight, hovering over flowers tmore...o suck their nectar with the long proboscis (to 13cm). Sometimes attracted to lights.
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Vernacular Names
no data available
Threatened
no data available
Biosecurity
no data available
Species Uses
Citation Information
McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.04.28 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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