On 13/08/2013 13:34, Stephen Wolstenholme wrote:
On Tue, 13 Aug 2013 11:50:48 +0200, David in Normandy
wrote:

Just found a huge caterpillar while harvesting some potatoes.
Never seen one this big in my life. Anyone recognise it or know what
butterfly or moth variety it belongs to?

http://s288.photobucket.com/user/uyq...illar.jpg.html

Normally I kill caterpillars but didn't have the heart to kill this
magnificent beast despite it scoffing my potato foliage; so I released
it elsewhere in the garden.

I'm fairly certain it's a European death's head hawk moth Acherontia
atropos. If you are impressed by the caterpillar just wait until you
see the moth. They are about 5" across. I raised one in a shoe box all
the way to moth stage when I was a kid. They can make rather
surprising sounds. They will kill honey bees to get into hives for the
honey if that's relevant. The bees don't fight back.

Steve


Oh dear me! I released the caterpillar near to a tree where some bees
set up a hive a few months ago. I can't find the caterpillar now.


--
David in Normandy.