"M" _&_.com wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I noticed a horrible "thing" in the garden today and wondered if someone
could identify it from the following description.

This "thing" was moving on top of the soil, was about 3.5 inches long and
the thickness of a mans little finger. Brown and black in colour and moved
like a caterpillar but looks like a cross between a slug and a
caterpillar.Thought I saw several feet but this could be my imagination
working overtime.!

I attacked this "thing" with a fork and split it in two, not a pretty
sight,
put down some slug pellets not knowing what else to try in the hopes they
would finish "it" off.

Anyone any ideas ?
Thanks.

M

From the other posts you have probably realised that your actions in killing
this creature and putting down slug pellets was not the best option.

It does sound like the Elephant Hawk moth caterpillar, the moth itself is
one of the largest we have in the UK and the caterpillar is correspondingly
large.

Please, please in future try to find out what you are dealing with before
you destroy it.
It really is not difficult to tell the difference between a slug and a
caterpillar.

If you can get yourself a book on common garden insects and animals and get
to know what is what, you will find you will live much easier with the
creatures around you.
Best wishes
Tom