What was this in my garden?

[Ian Thirlwell]

Elephant Hawkmoth does seem likely, tho the eye-spots are described in
Porter (1997, "Caterpillars of the British Isles") as on only two segments
(4 and 5). The photo in the same book shows
darkish spots on the other segments.

There are several lepidopterists in the IoW who could help with this sort of
question if you needed. E-mail me if so.

Ian Thirlwell
Hampshire
UK

Charles Henry wrote in message
<7pka9c$iro$1 at nclient13-gui.server.virgin.net>...
>Dear all,
>
>This afternoon there was a huge caterpillar "galloping" across my sunken
>patio which is full of potted fuchsias, begonias and azaleas, so as I'm no
>lepidopterist I thought SKS might be able to let me know what it was:-
>
>Length - over 7 cms.
>Diametre - about 1 cm.
>Colour - greyishy brown.
>Marking - eye like markings on each of about 6 or 8 segments.
>Peculiarities - mouth at the tip of a proboscis forward of the first pair
of
>eye markings.  The proboscis was withdrawn when the creature was touched.
>There were two "horns" at the end of its body.
>
>Sorry that this is not a very scientific or accurate description but it's
>from memory as I dislike imprisoning any animal for very long and I freed
it
>at the top of my garden before I'd thought of looking for a WG to ask.
>
>Thanks in advance for any help
>
>Chas. in the UK on the sunny Isle of Wight
>
>