Acherontia lachesis colored brown yellowish with the most distinguishing features is the skull-like pattern on the thorax. The forewings upperside has small white discal spot contagious with black patch on the apex of discal cells near the base of the wings. The line proximal to the black patch form a ring-like pattern. the hindwings upperside has a big black patch in the basal half. The amount of black patch on the abdomen and wing are variably, generally more extensive on the abdomen of the male than female. The antena of the male is longer than female. The upperside of the thorax has red hair, and also present on the edge of skull-like mark.
The larva is about 95-125 mm with trichromatic, with green, yellow and grey. The pupa is about 57-87 mm colored dark chestnut.