This is a visitor that we did not know about – until a friend asked if he could put a moth trap in our garden overnight to see what could be found!
The colour and size of this Elephant Hawk Moth were unexpected. It is a large pink and olive green moth but it is the larvae that are often found in gardens especially on fuchsia. The caterpillars are usually brown and reach 8cm in length with a ‘horn’ at the rear end.
The English name of this insect is derived from the shape and behaviour of the caterpillar. Like most moths the adults are night-flying and so often go unseen unless attracted to light. They rarely cause plant damage. In many cases fully fed caterpillars are found away from the food plant, looking for somewhere to bury themselves and pupate.
This was an aspect of our garden that we had not appreciated!
Thanks to Daniel Quinn for setting up the moth trap and for the use of his photo.
