Totenkopfschwärmer - The Rare Caterpillar Encounter

The Family Discovery of the Totenkopfschwärmer

F.M., a 52-year-old from Spiez BE, exclaimed, “I’ve never seen anything like this!” when she spotted the large caterpillar while preparing coffee. The family quickly gathered to take photos and research the creature, realizing it was indeed a rare Totenkopfschwärmer (scientific name: Acherontia atropos). According to an expert, this moth seldom appears in Switzerland. It typically migrates from the Mediterranean region during particularly warm summers.

Understanding the Totenkopfschwärmer

The caterpillar’s size astonished F.M. as she worried about more potentially lurking nearby. She speculated that it might be feeding in her neighbor's raised garden beds, predictably to pupate among the stones. The Totenkopfschwärmer primarily inhabits dry and sunny regions and prefers to consume nightshade plants like potatoes. Once it matures into a moth, it is attracted to bee honey.

The Significance of the Name

The moth is known for a unique spot on its wings resembling a human skull, which feeds into its ominous reputation. As the news scout pointed out, the Totenkopfschwärmer evokes chilling associations, especially linked to films like “The Silence of the Lambs.” Despite its eerie look, the Totenkopfschwärmer poses no threat.