Does anybody know what this catapillar is?

With grey catapillars now having pretty much stripped my greenhouse cherry tomatoes, I came across this little critter on the path outside the greenhouse today. It is the biggest catapillar i have ever seen! I do not think it is the same as the pests that I have been finding and killing in the greenhouse (though they have eaten enough leaf and tomatoe to be pretty big!) but does anybody know what this creature actually is? It is about 1.5 to 2 inches long and about half a centimeter wide? And it seems to even have a face?



Is it something i need to kill if i see it again? Or should I let them live?

Any ideas at all?

 

looks like he's probably a moth, so i dont think he's a threat

 

is it this one??



Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar.

 

That`s what I was going to suggest.:gnthb: Well done you.

 

Ahhhhh yes that makes sense. And yes that looks very much like it! Thanks!!! :-) Yes my cat brought one of those moths in the house once! I have some big tubs of potatoes out the back so it may be because of that perhaps?

Presumably then if it is a moth, it will not be a problem?

 

it's huge!!

 

I love moths :luv: I dont think moths eat plants, dont they feed on nectar? I know for a fact, some moths DONT EAT during their adults lives.

<googling

The English name of this moth is derived from the caterpillar's fanciful resemblance to an elephant's trunk.

The adult moth has a wingspan of about 50 to 70mm and marked in shades of pink and light brown. It feeds in the evening on nectar from Honeysukles, Fuchsias and Petunias. The main food plants of the caterpillar are Great and Rosebay Willowherbs. So perhaps it should be with the FRIENDS of the garden as anything which reduces these detestable weeds can only be welcomed, although they may also attack Fuchsias.

 

if you think the caterpillar is big wait till you see the moth lol!!
I have a moth phobia, I'll leave the room if a moth flies in, I'd
leave the house for one of those things ugh!! :rotfl:


Pete

 

Andy,
These are one of our most spectacular native insects, I'd be thrilled to have one (or more!) in the garden.

As Ros says, the larvae (caterpillars) feed principally on Rosebay Willowherb, which is of course a highly invasive weed, so they won't damage any of your garden plants.

Please look after yours carefully!!

 

That's what I was thinking!!!! I have never seen one that big!!!

Val

 

Yes thanks everybody Im very new to gardening and just never know what to do with different insects sometimes LOL There are so many of them! I tend to get these moths in my garden fairly regularly about this time of year. I did read they go for potatoes but my potatoes are starting to die right back now so pretty much ready I think for harvesting

So that is cool, I was right to let it live I don't like killing these creatures out there. Even killing the slugs and snails makes me feel a bit guilty LOL :-)

 

any slugs or snails that I get my hands on get fed to my chickens :wink:

 

wow!

my mum found one of these in her garden and we have spent the last half hour googling to no avail! i came on here to post a photo and here it was!

thank you everyone, now we don't have to panic thinking it was some wierd slug!

(don't think i could pick it up though!)

xxx