Theretra japonica is a moth

Moth

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...

 of the Sphingidae

Sphingidae

Sphingidae is a family of moths , commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms, that includes about 1,200 species . It is best represented in the tropics but there are species in every region . They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid,...

 family. It is found in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

, Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

 and Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

.

The wingspan

Wingspan

The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...

 is 55-80 mm. The moth flies from May to September depending on the location.

The caterpillars feed on a wide range of plants. Recorded food plants are:
In China: Cissus

Cissus

Cissus is a genus of approximately 350 species of woody vines in the grape family . They have a cosmopolitan distribution, though the majority are to be found in the tropics. In Tamil they are known as pirandai .-Medicinal:...

, Colocasia

Colocasia

Colocasia is a genus of 25 or more species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical Polynesia and southeastern Asia. Common names include Elephant-ear, Taro, Cocoyam, Dasheen,Chembu, and Eddoe...

, Hydrangea

Hydrangea

Hydrangea is a genus of about 70 to 75 species of flowering plants native to southern and eastern Asia and North and South America. By far the greatest species diversity is in eastern Asia, notably China, Japan, and Korea...

, Parthenocissus

Parthenocissus

Parthenocissus , creepers, is a genus of climbing plants from the grape family, Vitaceae. It contains about 12 species, from Asia and North America. Several are grown for ornamental use....

, Ampelopsis

Ampelopsis

Ampelopsis is a genus of climbing shrubs, in the grape family Vitaceae. The name is derived from the Greek word ampelos, which means "vine"...

, Ipomoea batatas, Cayratia japonica

Cayratia japonica

Cayratia japonica is a species of herbaceous plant native to Australia and Asia. It is used as a traditional Chinese medicine to relieve swelling and heat, and to enhance diuresis and detoxification....

, Vitis

Vitis

Vitis is a genus of about 60 species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce...

and Ludwigia

Ludwigia

Ludwigia is a genus of about 75 species of aquatic plants with a cosmopolitan but mainly tropical distribution.Selected species...

. Recorded in Korea on Colocasia antiquorum, Oenothera erythrosepala, Circaea mollis and Hydrangea paniculata

Hydrangea paniculata

Hydrangea paniculata, commonly known as the panicled hydrangea, is a species of Hydrangea found in eastern China, Korea, Japan, and Sakhalin. It was first formally described by Philipp Franz von Siebold in 1829...

. In Japan they feed on Hydrangea paniculata

Hydrangea paniculata

Hydrangea paniculata, commonly known as the panicled hydrangea, is a species of Hydrangea found in eastern China, Korea, Japan, and Sakhalin. It was first formally described by Philipp Franz von Siebold in 1829...

, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata , the porcelain berry, is an ornamental plant, native to temperate areas of Asia...

, Cayratia japonica

Cayratia japonica

Cayratia japonica is a species of herbaceous plant native to Australia and Asia. It is used as a traditional Chinese medicine to relieve swelling and heat, and to enhance diuresis and detoxification....

, Circaea

Circaea

The genus Circaea contains 7-10 species of flowering plants, known as Enchanter's nightshade. They are woodland plants occurring throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Two species are widespread, Broad-leaved Enchanter's Nightshade and Alpine Enchanter's Nightshade...

, Fuchsia

Fuchsia

Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants that consists mostly of shrubs or small trees. The first, Fuchsia triphylla, was discovered on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola in 1703 by the French Minim monk and botanist, Charles Plumier...

, Oenothera biennis

Oenothera biennis

Oenothera biennis is a species of Oenothera native to eastern and central North America, from Newfoundland west to Alberta, southeast to Florida, and southwest to Texas, and widely naturalized elsewhere in temperate and subtropical regions.-Growth and flowering:Oenorthera biennis has a life span...

, Oenothera stricta, Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Parthenocissus tricuspidata

Parthenocissus tricuspidata is a flowering plant in the grape family native to eastern Asia in Japan, Korea, and northern and eastern China...

and Vitis

Vitis

Vitis is a genus of about 60 species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce...

. In the Russian Far East they are found on Vitis amurensis

Vitis amurensis

Vitis amurensis, the Amur grape, is a species of grape native to the Asian continent. Its name comes from the Amur Valley in Russia and China.It is very resistant to frost, but is not tolerant to drought...

.