What green horned catapillers do we have in Ireland?

The Continental Op

Picked a couple of green horned caterpillars off potato plant leaves. They look very similar to pictures I can find on line of the Tomato Hornworm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_quinquemaculata but as far as I can tell it isn't in Ireland. So what green horned catapillers do we get?

Hopefully photos to follow.

The Continental Op

So what am I? Currently eating potato plant leaves.

fryup

well according to google lens its a 'tobacco hornworm'?

Alun

It's not quite the same though, it doesn't have the white stripes or the odd looking horn, plus that species is native to N. America. Google Lens is very good, but it doesn't always get it right.

Still don't know what it is though, but would put my money on some kind of hawk moth caterpillar. They're usually pretty big, and mostly green, but I can't find one that matches this example completely.

Where's Mothman when you need him :)

The Continental Op

Thats why I asked. I can find something it looks like but firstly its not identical and secondly whatever I've found doesn't seem to live in Ireland.

Alun

There's a group on Facebook called MothsIreland where a former mod of this forum hangs out. Well worth popping up your photo and I'm sure he or one of the others will identify it.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119454575#Comment_119454575

Don't use facebook. I signed up a couple of years back contacted one company - in a perfectly civil manner - then got a ban. Tried to get to the bottom of why I was banned but none of the automated systems could help so can't be arsed with facebook anymore.

The Continental Op

The two vaguely possibles don't have any recorded sightings on Diodiversity Ireland.

https://maps.biodiversityireland.ie/Species/78545

https://maps.biodiversityireland.ie/Species/81994

Some form of Sphinx moth seems to be the best I can come up with - inscrutable ;-)

The Continental Op

OK so they have grown, changed colour and are now yellow.

So that makes it Death's-head Hawk-moth (Acherontia atropos)?

They have run out of decent potato leaves where they were so just moved them on to some other volunteer potatoes that are still doing well.

This link helps with the ID https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/deaths-head-hawk-moth

Alun

That's one huge moth, wingspan of 8-12cm!!!

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119483020#Comment_119483020

Saw one once in the UK, wonderful looking moth and the deaths head is weird.

axe2grind

Log this Death's Head sighting with Biodiversity Ireland or MothsIreland. From what I know, Caterpillars are rarely seen in Ireland.