Catterpillar

ashryan

Just today I found quite a large catterpillar in the grass outside, we had never seen one like it before so took to the internet and from anything we can make out it looks like a Xylophanes Tersa Moth Catterpillar which is native to america. Could anyone help me out on this.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Difficult without a picture but if it's like a Tersa Moth Catterpillar then it's probably one of our hawk moths.

axe2grind

Elephant Hawk-moth!

I've seen a couple past couple weeks, can look like little snakes!
Can be green or brown.

Irishgoatman

Glad I'm not the only one with a strange caterpillar. Found this one an hour ago. It's approx 60mm long.

axe2grind

This is elephant Hawk-moth!
which I assume what the OP saw,

Alun

Irishgoatman wrote: »

Glad I'm not the only one with a strange caterpillar. Found this one an hour ago. It's approx 60mm long.

That's the Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar alluded too earlier. They're enormous all right!

The moths themselves are pretty spectacular looking too.

Irishgoatman

Alun wrote: »

That's the Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar alluded too earlier. They're enormous all right!

The moths themselves are pretty spectacular looking too.

Thanks Alun. Now I'll have to look it up.

Any idea where the best place to put it would be so that it survives? not sure how long it had been on the concrete, it was the dog barking at it that got my attention. Wouldn't want the birds to get it if I can help it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Put it on willow herb or fushia preferably. Failing that then any vegetation near where it was found.

ashryan

That is the same as the one I found, never seen anything like it before, it was huge.

Irishgoatman

I live in the country (ie The middle of nowhere) and have yet to speak to anyone who's seen one of these before, yet they are supposed to be common in Ireland and the U.K.

They must hide themselves very well as a rule!, perhaps they're shy:).

axe2grind

They hide on the stems of Rosebay Willowherb and Fuchsia.

Most of the times caterpillars are seen is when they're wandering looking for place to pupate.

I had a quick look at a patch of Rosebay Willowherb nearby and found these 2

mr.wiggle

Great pics.
There's a few very large patches of those plants on my lane, I've always wondered what the name of it was, so thx.
Gonna take a good look through them every time i walk past from now on.
Would love to see one of those caterpillars

Irishgoatman

ax2grind.

Great pics. I had caterpilllar in one hand for size. Diff in colour but obviously same species. My neighbour could not believe that I picked it up!. Beautiful creatures at all stages.

Let's look forward to some "live" pictures sometime, if you can get them, when these pupate and then turn into fully grown moths. Please try to keep an eye on them. Perhaps we'll have before, during and after pics?.

Many thanks.