Monday 18 September 2017

Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar

It's undoubtedly Elephant Hawkmoth time of year, for the larvae that is and once again Tom Lowe helped me out with this beast of a caterpillar! He had found it feeding on Rosebay Willowherb but I reckoned it would make a more appetising image teamed up with a Fuchsia!

First things first - how big are they? Well roughly your first finger (Tom's) length c 3" and ravenous for Fuchsia leaves!




Couldn't decide whether the lawn or gravel drive gave the best background?!


And I just had to get in close on the action...





One side of a leaf soon disappearing before our eyes!




And the small flower buds proved to be equally tasty!


Going going gone!


I checked out my Fuchsias the following day and unbelievably, found one of an almost identical size. I left it munching and when checking the following day it had disappeared... Fully grown and maybe down in the debris getting ready to pupate? Check out the pictures of the adult moth from June!