A couple of weeks ago, I was busy in the garden doing some tidying before the approach of harsher weather, when I encountered this little critter (pictured below) making his way across the lawn (at an alarmingly rapid pace for a caterpillar!). It’s an Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar, apparently fairly common in the u.k., though this is only the fourth time in my life that I’ve come across one.
I popped it in a plant pot so I could search for a suitable safe place to put it. The eye markings are false eyes. It puffs itself up to make itself look intimidating, with a good degree of success I think. Last summer, I read in a local newspaper how one family had called the R.S.P.C.A. (Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to report having found a baby snake. Of course, it was investigated and found to be an Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar and was returned to the outdoors. I was amused, but completely understood how it could be mistaken for a baby snake.
Pictured below is a clearer photo from the internet.
By now, I hope my little friend is safely cocooned inside its chrysalis, ready for the ongoing winter transformation from caterpillar to moth. Below is a picture of what it will look like.
You can find more information about Elephant Hawkmoths at the Woodland Trust.
Moment by Moment 
Nature never ceases to amaze me! Butterflies and moths and their larvae are some of my favorite animals. That’s a neat caterpillar and a gorgeous moth. Enjoyed your story very much, Lesley.
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Me neither, Taka. I love this caterpillar and the moth is stunning – such a beautiful colour. 😀
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A note to Ms. Rossetti: I understand what you’re saying, but you should change your title to “Hurt No Animals.” We need to know that plants (grass, trees, shrubs), fungi (mushrooms, puffballs), and algae (seaweed) are living things, too, and when we eat them we must hurt them (actually kill them); we must accept this fact, the fact that we must hurt some living things. It’s natural! We do not have to hurt animals, if we choose not to; we can eat plants and fungi and algae (seaweed). Just thought you’d like to know. Take care, Taka.
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Hi Taka. I can’t pass your message on to Ms. Rossetti since I don’t believe in contacting the dead 😉 but this is something I need to seriously consider since I am vegetarian. I don’t know if I could ever accept that we must hurt some living things and I don’t know what the answer is. I’ll probably be thinking about this all day now.
You take care as well. Lesley
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Here’s a great article for Ms. Rossetti: “Do Plants Feel Pain?”
https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/24473/20191218/a-group-of-scientists-suggest-that-plants-feel-pain.htm
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Thanks for this, Taka. I will read it. 🙂
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As you know, we must eat to continue living! You must accept that as a vegetarian, you are killing and consuming living things…that is simply part of being alive! You have to eat something!! Simply accept that fact!
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