Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar

After the large numbers of elephant hawkmoths we have had in our traps this summer I shouldn't have been surprised to find an elephant hawkmoth caterpillar in our garden,  but wow! what a treat - I almost didn't go over to investigate when I spotted i,t as the sun was shining behind it from where I was standing so it just looked like a large dark shrivelled leaf, which wouldn't have been unexpected as the caterpillar was a fuchsia plant which is still waiting to be planted and I keep forgetting to water it! - Any way something made me go back and take a closer look - I am so pleased I did - this is my first ever Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar and it has not disappointed me!
Firstly here are some of the elephant hawkmoths from one of our mothing sessions this summer - along with some poplar hawkmoths - the elephants are the pink ones!

and here is today's Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar

photography by Angela Smith

caterpillar heaven

Those who have visited us will know that our garden couldn't exactly be described as immaculate, we do not have neatly cut edges around our lawn which isn't cut as often as many are. We have a very over grown but controlled herb garden predominantly marjoram with a couple of lavenders, chives and rosemary thrown in for good measure. This spring we dug up our old flower bed just leaving our buddleias and re-planted it with half a dozen other bee and butterfly friendly shrubs and to fill in the gaps this year we sowed some wild flower seeds which weren't particularly successful this year so we will have to re -think that for next year.
Alongside our lawn we have a patch of nettles, which we leave for the butterflies and this year we have many peacock butterfly caterpillars feeding on it.

In May I received a selection of herbs including a horseradish - Two weeks ago it looked healthy and stunning - then all of a sudden, this happened - it turns out that horseradish is a tasty herb for large white caterpillars

as is nasturtium

oh well the nasturtiums were coming to the end for this year - and at least I know that we have helped at least two species of butterflies this summer and provided an additional food supply for some of the garden birds too

Butterflies, caterpillar, bee and hoverflies

small skipper

ringlet

peacock caterpillar

I still have to get to grips with bees and hover flies
so no names for these two

 

but I have been given the names for these

Eristalis interruptus