Monster Caterpillar

Not sure where to post this, but I have a monster of a catarpiller on my fuschia, weel when I say on it has nearly finished eating the whole bush.
It is bigger than my index finger

 

Cor, looks like an Elephant Hawk Moth

They do eat Fuchias.

 

cool, don't know where it came from as it wasn't there yesterday, I was deadheading some plants and noticed the Fuchsia was looking very sorry for itself (yesterday it was very bushy and seemed healthy) then I noticed this guy having a feast lol.

No doubt he will make his way to the other Fuchsia when he ha finished.

**Edit** Just found he has a partner in crime, there is another one hiding under the Foxglove leaves (Fuschia is infront of the foxglove)

 

They also feed on Willowherb, Bedstraw, Virginia Creeper & Evening Primrose, so if you've got any of those about.

 

just the Fuschia, they are quite large bushes so I guess they are here for the duration lol.

A sparrow keeps visiting the garden but I think it is intimidated.

 

WOW, what a beauty!!!

Val

 

I had a huge catterpillar on the path this morning, thick as my little finger, dark brown 3" long and seemed to have a head with eyes looking at me , swept it up onto garden before i thought to take a photo, and now i can`t find it.something that size could be miles away by now,,,

 

Crikey great picture ... ya wouldent want that crawling up your inside leg !!

 

They are quite fast at eating as well.

 

Cool

 

Brilliant! But your poor fuchsias! I reckon you need to sink a jam jar of water with some willow herb in nearby!

 

I found one in my red cabbage at the allotment,i love them..when i see the hawkmoth on valerian its so worth the sacrifice

 

I turned the sound up on the videos to see if they were humming "No fuchsia, no fuchsia,no fuchsia for you"

But they weren't

 

He's a beauty isn't he? Worth sacrificing a few Fuchsia leaves for

 

he left home sunday night, vanished as suddenly as he appeared and the only evidence he was ever there is a Fuchsia plant with about 3 leaves on it lol.