While having a look around the garden after a few days away I had the shock of my life when I came about a not so wee beastie taking huge bites out of my favourite fuschia. Having a morbid fear of snakes I reeled back initially but gained the courage to look harder. From your gallery photo (thanx Tinkerbell) I now know what I saw was a elephant hawkmoth caterpillar.
I guess the effect on me was the desired shock that the creature intended.