I found this creature in my vegetable garden what seems to be a caterpiller : Grows on You

United Kingdom

I found this creature in my vegetable garden what seems to be a caterpiller, but not like any other , catepillers I have ever seen in my live. Was really fat, brown, around 4 inches long and on first inspection thought it had these large eyes, but these were just markings. What is this called and do I need take action to get rid of it?

19 Aug, 2011

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Answers

Julien

It looks like it could be an elephant catterpiller, if so then it will become the elephant hawk moth.

19 Aug, 2011

Bulbaholic

Looks more like a moth caterpillar than that of a butterfly. And no, definitely don't get rid of it. It will not be doing very much damage and will be quite lovely when it changes into a moth.

19 Aug, 2011

Tugbrethil

From the pictures that I've been looking at just now, it's most likely the larvae of the Small Elephant Hawk Moth, which is a BEAUTIFUL bright pink and russet moth!
See this:

http://ukmoths.org.uk/images/SmallElephantHawkMothAB.jpg

19 Aug, 2011

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