The genus Deilephila is part of the family Sphingidae, the hawk-moths or sphinxes. It consists of a small number of Palearctic species most of which have common names involving the phrase "Elephant hawk moth". They include the Elephant hawk moth, Deilephila elpenor, the Small Elephant Hawk Moth (D. porcellus) and the Chitral Elephant Hawk Moth (D. rivularis). The Oleander Hawk Moth is sometimes classified in this genus as D. nerii, but sometimes treated in genus Daphnis. The caterpillars feed mainly on plants of the Willowherb and Bedstraw families (Onagraceae and Rubiaceae) families.