marsh man Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 This morning we had this ugly caterpilla moving about on the slabs in my garden , a Blackbird tried to have for it's breakfast but the caterpilla kept trying to have a go at the bird and in the end the Blackbird gave up , it was about 3/4 inches long and about half an inch across it's back . What do you think it is ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 i cheated and googled it ...it certainly looks like it............first time ive ever seen one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 well found, sir. Spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 5 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said: well found, sir. Spot on. I once found a dead Death Hawk moth in perfect condition with a skull clearly seen on the back of it's head , it was on the roof of a building along the sea front at Yarmouth and the naturalist I took it to thought it might have crossed the North Sea and died when it rested . I believe it ended being set up and might well be on display somewhere . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 are yew goin'a train it boi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 6 minutes ago, ditchman said: are yew goin'a train it boi My next door neighbour is now the proud owner although he don't know yet , my wife wasn't that keen when it looked like it had a pair of eyes and was watching her putting the linen out , I had another first during the week , I have been catching a few mice in our humane mice trap in our garden that come and nick the birds grub that end up on the floor , one morning I looked out of the curtains and saw the arm up so I thought I had another one , I normally leave the trap where it is until I have finished my cup of tea and then take them down the farm where I then release them , anyhow when I went to the trap I couldn't at first see anything in the trap , and then I saw a long leg come up the side of the trap and a bloodx great Frog appeared , we have got a small pond in the garden so I released him / her back in the garden , I wonder what next . this was the very first mouse I caught which I think is a field mouse . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 (edited) Great find. This is a privet hawk moth caterpillar i could pick up in their hundreds as a child, I lived on a council estate and all the gardens had a privet hedge, It does look like a field mouse [big ears] Edited August 27, 2021 by islandgun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mighty Prawn Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 Definitely hawk moth, we get loads of the caterpillar in our garden but I’m yet to see the actual moth which is a shame as they’re gorgeous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 10 minutes ago, The Mighty Prawn said: Definitely hawk moth, we get loads of the caterpillar in our garden but I’m yet to see the actual moth which is a shame as they’re gorgeous Have you tried a moth trap? Often worth a punt and if you get a good evening when you have a quiet day the next day, sitting down with a guide and having a bash at ID is a nice way to spend a morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted August 27, 2021 Report Share Posted August 27, 2021 We used to catch the Hawk Moth Caterpillars many years ago and keep them for a few days as pets, they felt amazing crawling up your arm, not seen one for a while now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biketestace Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 Found one in my garden yesterday, well the dog did, sat staring at it for ages she did 🙄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 10 hours ago, chrisjpainter said: Have you tried a moth trap? Often worth a punt and if you get a good evening when you have a quiet day the next day, sitting down with a guide and having a bash at ID is a nice way to spend a morning THANKS for the interesting replies , much appreciated , would you know how long ( roughly ) it would take for it to turn into a moth , and also could you keep it , or allowed to keep it in say a glass tank until it goes through the process of caterpilla to a full size moth . Regards MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted August 28, 2021 Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 11 hours ago, marsh man said: THANKS for the interesting replies , much appreciated , would you know how long ( roughly ) it would take for it to turn into a moth , and also could you keep it , or allowed to keep it in say a glass tank until it goes through the process of caterpilla to a full size moth . Regards MM I don't think there's any particular law on moths and butterflies as pets. They're caterpillars for nigh on a month, then overwinter as pupae, before coming out in June, so they're interesting for a few weeks as cats, then depressingly boring for months on end, then it's a case of waiting and watching as nothing happens in June. You go away and make a cup of tea and come back to find it's all over and there's a very indignant moth in the box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted August 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2021 4 minutes ago, chrisjpainter said: I don't think there's any particular law on moths and butterflies as pets. They're caterpillars for nigh on a month, then overwinter as pupae, before coming out in June, so they're interesting for a few weeks as cats, then depressingly boring for months on end, then it's a case of waiting and watching as nothing happens in June. You go away and make a cup of tea and come back to find it's all over and there's a very indignant moth in the box. Excellent reply THANKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted August 29, 2021 Report Share Posted August 29, 2021 My nephew has just sent me a photo of a hawk moth!! He is very chuffed to have found it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39TDS Posted August 29, 2021 Report Share Posted August 29, 2021 Fairly confident it is an Elephant Hawk Moth. Found a caterpillar here last week. My missus is terrified of moths, fortunately she wasn't in the kitchen a month or so ago when a massive bright pink moth flew in and was trying to get in the fly zapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discobob Posted August 31, 2021 Report Share Posted August 31, 2021 On 27/08/2021 at 20:43, marsh man said: My next door neighbour is now the proud owner although he don't know yet , my wife wasn't that keen when it looked like it had a pair of eyes and was watching her putting the linen out , I had another first during the week , I have been catching a few mice in our humane mice trap in our garden that come and nick the birds grub that end up on the floor , one morning I looked out of the curtains and saw the arm up so I thought I had another one , I normally leave the trap where it is until I have finished my cup of tea and then take them down the farm where I then release them , anyhow when I went to the trap I couldn't at first see anything in the trap , and then I saw a long leg come up the side of the trap and a bloodx great Frog appeared , we have got a small pond in the garden so I released him / her back in the garden , I wonder what next . this was the very first mouse I caught which I think is a field mouse . We had a young shrew on our drive the other week - managed to pick him up and return him to the verge/hedgerow on the other side of the lane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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