Caterpillar
Forum rules
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
Caterpillar
I found this creature today on the pavement, I put it somewhere safe. It will become a Vine hawk moth.
What a beauty!
What a beauty!
-
- Minor Maniac
- Posts: 10803
- Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:05 pm
- Location: Hampshire
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
Yes Phil, I was surprised after doing some research, that the species found its way from hotter climates. I think I have seen the actual moth before with pink areas on its body. It makes me think about life. Why would anyone want to destroy it. Further info from an organisation I contacted earlier, and have just received, suggests it may in fact be an Elephant hawk moth caterpillar, which resembles an elephants trunk. Both caterpillars are quite similar.
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 1904
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 11:37 am
- Location: Near Belper
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
I think that the mock eye spots are to make it look like a snake, to deter predators. Nature is quite amazing.
-
- Minor Fan
- Posts: 434
- Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:37 pm
- Location: Carmarthenshire
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Caterpillar
Snap!
Taken last year almost to the day. I added a tape measure for scale. Coincidentally I have only ever taken one photo of a moth and that was 40 years ago and it was a lovely pink Hawk Moth.
Regards John
Taken last year almost to the day. I added a tape measure for scale. Coincidentally I have only ever taken one photo of a moth and that was 40 years ago and it was a lovely pink Hawk Moth.
Regards John
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 3773
- Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:53 am
- Location: South Manchester
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
I would love to see it evolve into a moth.
Re: Caterpillar
Well would you believe it ! Thanks for posting John, made my day.
A moth emerging, yes an incredible thing.
A moth emerging, yes an incredible thing.
- geoberni
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 3589
- Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:19 am
- Location: North Leicestershire
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
The only time I've seen one of those was about 5-6 yrs ago, it was on the plants in my pond. No sign of it the next day, perhaps it became a snack...
Huge thing, size of a man's finger.
Huge thing, size of a man's finger.
Basil the 1955 series II
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 3773
- Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:53 am
- Location: South Manchester
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
Les a moth emerging where
-
- Minor Addict
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:40 pm
- Location: Vogelsberg - Germany
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Caterpillar
I have not seen one this year but in the last few years our garden here in central Germany has been visited by what Looks like a small hummingbird but is in fact an insect which normally lives in southern Europe but when the weather is warm enough, sometimes get across the alps. I did take a Picture but cannot find it at the Moment - later perhaps.
Gott schütze mich vorm Sturm und Wind und Autos, die aus England sind.
download/file.php?id=4822[/sig]
download/file.php?id=4822[/sig]
Re: Caterpillar
Sounds like a humming bird hawk moth, we had one sipping from a lavender plant early in the summer - in the Northwest of England I took a short video, I'll see if I can post it.
Re: Caterpillar
Not very clear as shot through the french windows on my phone, but there it is. Can't embed the vid so here's the link.
https://i.imgur.com/tGyVWaM.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/tGyVWaM.mp4
-
- Minor Fan
- Posts: 218
- Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:00 pm
- Location: North Hertfordshire
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
Wow what lovely photos and video captures of natures beauties. The caterpillars are marvellous but the little insect resembling a humming bird is awesome. Thanks for posting them.
Re: Caterpillar
It captures nature doing its own thing, nice to see, I didn’t realise there was a moth that could hover like that. So many species to wonder at, all have their place and interact to help the planet survive. Pity we can’t join them.
-
- Minor Fan
- Posts: 434
- Joined: Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:37 pm
- Location: Carmarthenshire
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Caterpillar
Amazing, just like a mini humming bird, thanks for posting that Mr Attenborough, oops I mean Panky
-
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 3773
- Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 10:53 am
- Location: South Manchester
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Caterpillar
That's a brilliant video and a lovely creature
Re: Caterpillar
It's amazing what a slightly wild garden with a variety of flowers and a pond attracts. Make your own micro ecosystem and sit back to watch. Sometimes quite scary as well, like the time a female sparrow hawk took a wood pigeon off the garage roof and crash landed right in front of the wife