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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