Lime hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)

The caterpillar of the lime hawk-moth was rescued directly from a busy city pedestrian walkway in Samara. There was a heavy flow of people, and it was a miracle that the insect was not stepped on. It was picked up just in time and moved to safety. The day before, on August 17, there was a severe storm in the city, which likely knocked the caterpillar down from a tree.

A very cute find with a unique horn that has distinct whitish tints. This is an extremely rare encounter within the city area. This is only the second time finding this species in Samara, with the first record being in the forest area past the Yuzhny Bridge.