PH caterpillar crew - your time has arrived

[devonshiredave]

PH massive,

Whilst tidying up in the garden today I found both a small lizard and an awesome caterpillar.

I relocated the lizard to safety but snaffled the caterpillar to show the kids. Having had a quick Google, I think it is an elephant hawk moth. I've set him up in a box with some compost and fuscia foliage, which he has been smashing down.

It seems it is possible to keep them through to emergence from their pupae and adulthood. I intend to do this as the moth which it will grow into is super beautiful.

I will get a pic posted when he's in a better position and stopped munching.

Any other caterpillar catchers on PH?

Cheers

[devonshiredave]

[elephantstone]

Bloody hell what a coincidence! My girlfriend shouted me downstairs this afternoon because the dogs had found something and they were going mad, it was one of those! It was a monster! My girlfriend thought it was half of a snake ha!

I shoved it over to next doors garden, one the dogs had plucked up the courage they would've pawed/eaten it to death. Had to "big caterpillars" after i had got rid of it to see what it was.

[Risotto]

Yep, looks like an Elephant Hawk moth to me. Should turn into one of these:

Edited by Risotto on Monday 7th September 23:02

[Patch1875]

[jmorgan]

Spotted a few over the years down the bottom of the garden. Think they are too big for the frogs to eat.