Elephant Hawk-moth

Today's the day ................ for a big surprise

Look what we found just outside the back door on the gravel?  It took us a minute to work out exactly what it was, because it was so huge - a good four inches long.  It definitely wasn't a slug, but could you get caterpillars (which was the other possibility) that big?

A bit of googling soon revealed that it was most likely the caterpillar stage of the Elephant Hawk-moth.  These most striking of moths are on the wing from May to early August and most active at dusk.  The caterpillars are this very characteristic: greyish-green or brown, with two enormous, black eyespots towards the head. Apparently, when disturbed, they swell up to show these spots and scare off predators. The caterpillars feed on willowherbs, fuchsia and bedstraw and overwinter as chrysalides, hidden among low vegetation or in the soil.

So, somehow it had lost its bearings and found itself in what was a pretty hostile environment.  We returned it to a more natural habitat - and hope that it stays around until it turns itself into an actual Elephant Hawk-moth ....................