Redeye Cicada vs Lesser Death's-head Hawk Moth

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Redeye Cicada Lesser Death's-head Hawk Moth
Scientific Name Psaltoda moerens Acherontia styx
Order Hemiptera Lepidoptera
Family Cicadidae Sphingidae
Size 35-42 mm 80-115 mm
Habitat Woodlands Farmland
Diet Sap Feeders Sap Feeders
Regions Australia South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Redeye Cicada

A striking Australian cicada with bright red eyes and a dark body. Large choruses create a deafening noise in urban and suburban areas.

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Did You Know?

Mass emergences in Sydney can produce collective noise levels rivaling a rock concert.

Lesser Death's-head Hawk Moth

An Asian relative of the death's-head hawk moth, similarly marked with a skull pattern on the thorax. It is slightly smaller but equally capable of entering beehives to feed on honey.

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Did You Know?

Like its European cousin, Acherontia styx can produce a squeaking sound by forcing air through its proboscis, which may mimic queen bee pheromones to pacify guard bees.