help identify large caterpiller (uk)

Barrie Harwood Barrie.Harwood at BTInternet.com
Sun Aug 23 12:20:48 EDT 1998


Hi
This is undoubtedly the larvae of the Elephant Hawkmoth (D. elpenor).
This is quite a common moth and the larvae feeds most commonly on Willowherb
(particularly Rose Bay Willowherb) and Fuschia although it has been found on
many other plants

The 'spur' as you call it is, of course, totally harmless and is a classic
feature of hawkmoths

Regards

Barrie

Ilweran wrote in message
<1998082121493300.RAA29922 at ladder03.news.aol.com>...
>the caterpiller is about one and a half inches long.It has two eye spots on
>each side  just behind what I would say was its head. It has a spur on its
back
>end. Colour wise its sort of black with creamy, mottled markings, almost
like a
>snake.
>
>Ilweran
>*******************
>donT geT senTimental. it always ends up dRRiveLLLL.  one day.   i am
>goingtogrow wings.   a chemichal reaCtion. hysterical & useless. hysterical
>&let down and hanging around. crushed like a bug in the ground.



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