Pheosia portlandia

The hemispherical eggs are laid singly or in pairs on the underside of poplar leaves, and are of an unusual and strangely conspicuous creamy white colour. Even in the first instar the caterpillar shows the notodontid habit of raising it last few segments up in the air. The full grown caterpillar has green, brown or grey colour varieties, and it is remarkable for at least two things. It is very shiny, looking as though it were covered with varnish. And it has a "horn" at the end quite similar to the caterpillars of hawk moths (Sphingidae).