Out of their natural habitat, larvae do well on privet, lilac and plum. The female, whose white postmedian lines are wider those of the male, exstends a scent gland from the tip of her abdomen. The airbourne pheromone is picked up by the males' antennae. Moths mate very readily in captivity. Females lay eggs beginning at dusk on the same day of mating with eggs being deposited in clumps on both surfaces of host plant leaves.
Young caterpillars feed gregariously and older caterpillars are solitary feeders.
Privet is readily accepted in captivity. Photo courtesy of Bill Welch. There is often quite a range in colour and arrangement of spots among larvae as evidenced inthese larval images by Leroy Simon. The yellowish larvae is getting ready to spin its cocoon. This fifth instar larva is munching on privet.