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Caterpillar ID |
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administrator
Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Posted: 15 Aug 2005 at 11:23am |
Anyone know what this is? It has to be a hawk moth from the size, my guess is an elephant hawk moth, but I would like to know for sure. Ta. |
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Danial
Senior Member Joined: 01 May 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 100 |
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Yes Gemma that is definately an Elephant hawk moth caterpillar. And what a great markings it has too. Do you have Willowherb in your garden for it to feed on?
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administrator
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Hi Danial, you answered my next question, because I wasn't sure where it had come from. I found it on the ground crossing our garden path, I guess it was on its way to pupate. (I just popped in on a potato plant for the piccy before putting it back were I found it). I'll have to try and find out where the Willowherb is and see if there are more. Thanks for confirming the ID
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administrator
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Well I've just been out for a look, we have three Willowherbs in our flower border, but no sign of any more caterpillars, is it usual for them to be in low numbers?
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Alan Hyde
Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1437 |
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Hi Gemma,
They also like fuschia if you have any |
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O-> O+>
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Suzi
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1025 |
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Gemma With regards to numbers of these Hawk Moths, in my garden seeing one a year is about the norm and I haven't seen one for a few years. For a creature so big it's amazing how hard they are to see. I did notice a completely stripped willow herb in the garden just the other day so I am keeping my eyes open for the culprit! |
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Suz
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Iowarth
Admin Group Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Status: Offline Points: 743 |
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Hi Gemma Funnily enough I always do an Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar survey in my garden at this time of year. The "wilderness area" has 30 or 40 Willowherb on which I found five caterpillars - usually I only find two or three. Funnily enough I found another one on a secret Willowherb that had snuck into the (allegedly) domesticated part of the garden! |
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Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme (RETIRED) |
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administrator
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Thanks guys, I'll ensure we have a good crop of Willowherb for next year. It might be nice to make some suggestions for 'alternative' flower borders, our main stay has been mallow, corn flowers and poppies for the bees, I'll now ensure we have Willowherb too (does anyone know if it is an annual or perennial by the way). We have a third of the garden as undisturbed grassland, but I always try to ensure the flowers I put into the more managed areas of the garden have some value to wildlife and keep the fushias etc in planters.
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Danial
Senior Member Joined: 01 May 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 100 |
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Glad I could be of help with id and food plants. According to Francis Rose's Wild Flower Key, Willowherb sp are perennials.
I also had no idea that the caterpillars fed on Fuschia. Your garden sounds wonderful. Any chance of some pics? Thanks |
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Mike
Senior Member Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 78 |
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Perennials, but I'm presuming you mean the Rosebay or Great Willowherb. See - http://www.brickfieldspark.org/data/greatwillowherb.htm
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