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Sacha[_1_] · 17-09-2006, 08:55 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 17/9/06 08:09, in article , "Malcolm"
wrote:

In article , Klara
writes
In message , Sacha
writes
Fluttering around the garden and one of the green houses yesterday, at
least 5 people saw a very large sky blue butterfly. By very large, it
was described as being about 5 or 6" across! Even allowing for the
exaggeration of memory and reducing that to 3 or 4", it's still pretty
big. Does anyone know what that might be or whether we have an escapee
from the Buckfastleigh butterfly farm? And how far can butterflies
roam, anyway? Any (polite) suggestions would be welcomed as to ID

Could they have mistaken a hawkmoth for a butterfly? They are pretty
big, and I think there is a blue one ...

There isn't one that is remotely "sky blue", the most on the wings of
any of them are some small bluish patches on the otherwise green
Oleander hawkmoth, while the Death's-head has a blue stripe on the body.

Having seen the elephant hawk moth caterpillar here, I do hope we see the
moth which appears to be the most lovely shade of pink.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/