Largest British hawk moth with downy wings measuring 13 cm/5 in from tip to tip, and its thorax is marked as though with a skull.

When it is at rest it sometimes gives out a squeaking noise, produced probably by rubbing the palpi (sense organs close to the mouthparts) upon the proboscis.

The caterpillar is about 10 cm/4 in long and is brightly coloured. It feeds on potato plants.

Classification
Hawk moths Acherontia atropos are in the family Sphingidae in order Lepidoptera, class Insecta, phylum Arthropoda.