Citheronia azteca

The adult moth is relatively large, with a wingspan of 85–160 mm. Their forewings are a dusty gray color, with thick orange venation and small white splotches between veins. The hingwings are yellow near the body and gray away from the body, and sport the same thick orange venation. There is occasionally thin yellow banding as well. The body is orange with white highlights on the end of each abdominal segment and on the more reddish thorax.[2]

When threatened, the adult moth will pull its wings up like a butterfly, showing the bright underside of its wings. In addition, it will curl up its abdomen, showing the gaudy oranges and creams, while flapping its wings. This scares off some would-be predators.

Larvae of this species are chocolate brown, and various instars have different protrusions and patterns.

The newly hatched caterpillars are 10–15 mm, and black. They have a visible orange saddle in the middle of their body, and sport large (for their size) horns on each segment of their body. These are for protection.

The caterpillars in this stage look quite similar to first instar caterpillars, but have more defined horns.

In this instar, the caterpillars lose their black coloration, and start to turn chocolate brown. They have faint pink stripes on their body, as well as conspicuous pink horns. Their prolegs are darker brown.

In the fourth instar, the caterpillars horns grow smaller, and their skin color darkens to a burnt chocolate brown to nearly black. However, they are still adorned with 'racing stripes' down their sides that are usually pale cream to pink colored.

In the fifth instar, the caterpillars grow to absolutely gargantuan sizes, able to reach nearly 150 mm in size. They accelerate the pace at which they eat even more, and prepare to pupate.

Caterpillars about to pupate in the wild dig underground and carve out a small cell, then enter a prepupal stage. In this state, their bodies deflate and lose a great deal of turgor, as well as becoming more short and elliptical. They darken and lose the ability to walk. Then they molt for the final time, and turn into pupa.

Pupae are long and dark chocolate brown, with six visible segments on the abdomen. The wingbuds form a 'shield' over the front of the thorax where the legs are. They also have small dents at the wingtips. The overall shape gives off the effect of a cocktail wiener.