Caterpillar Rescue

Arrived at Lidl for grocery shopping to see a young woman mid-caterpillar-rescue (and photographing the big beastie). Well-trained blipper that I am, I had my camera with me, so joined in the fun.

It's an elephant hawk moth (Deilephila elpenor) caterpillar, and at 3" long (8 cms) quite a monster. The moth is named after the caterpillar's long trunk-like 'nose' (see inset), which it pulled in defensively when scooped up on a Lidl bit of paper!

Rescue complete, the caterpillar should live to overwinter in due course as a pupa. This is the second time I've been involved in an elephant hawk moth rescue, but the last time it was an adult moth that had been hit by a car. It was stunned but survived. I put it in the hedge and photographed it, but that was pre-Blip days. It's good to see another stage of its life.

Here's the adult elephant hawk moth that I photographed some years ago.