Monday 17 August 2015

What on Earth is it?

On Saturday Gizmo was poking about with something in the garden.  I thought he was toying with a field mouse or a grasshopper and almost freaked out upon investigation when I saw the creature pictured above!  It looked as though it was going to launch itself at me!

Well, thank goodness for Google images where I quickly identified the 'alien'.  It turns out that it is an Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar.  I am so happy that it isn't a sinister creature but apparently they will strip the leaves from your fuchsia bush overnight if you have one!

I  hope that it finds a safe spot to pupate, away from predators.  I would dearly love to see it in its adult form next spring.  You can see what it looks like in adult form here.

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7 comments:

  1. Wow, what an interesting visitor to your garden space. Glad Gizmo and the caterpillar only had a close encounter and nothing more. Best of luck to spot it in its new form next spring.
    You DO have such interesting things going on in your garden! Happy week.

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  2. Oh, my goodness it looks like a little animal of some kind doesn't it? What a strange encounter that must have been - I hope you see the moth next year:)

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  3. Oh wow, what an amazing creature!! Good job you got to it before Gizmo ate it!
    It turns into a beautiful moth, fingers crossed you get to see it!
    V x

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  4. The fuchsia killer
    caterpillar
    pupates to moth
    Then eats your cloth.

    I saw one on our buddleia last year, thought it was a bird it was so big!

    All good now, thanks for asking. xx

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  5. Wow, that's amazing. It does look like an alien, or rather, it looks like a slug with a bat's face. I think I would have been a bit disconcerted by it, too!

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  6. This is why I don't garden!! (aside from a bad back!) I am unfortunately very fearful of bugs, worms and creatures like this - probably because my brothers would chase me with such things when growing up!! :) xx

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  7. I hope you get to see the moth they are stunning we had one in our greenhouse a couple of years ago. xxx

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