Death head Hawk Moth Caterpillar

[barquar]

I found a live death head Hawk Moth Caterpillar walking along the pavemant today first time seeing this big caterpillar so let it crawl onto a twig then put it in a garden. I looked for it 5 mins later and couldnt find it anywhere they sure move. Had to look up what it was. I have yet to see the Moth.
Barquar

[aeshna5]

You were lucky- these are pretty rare vagrants!

[Wild-Woman]

Perhaps an escapee from some trying to rear them?

[Lance Morgan]

Most likely looking for somewhere to pupate when they start wandering for suitable place to burrow into soil. Can you confirm DHHM and not a privet hawk which is only UK resident which resembles DH larva.

[barquar]

Originally Posted by Lance Morgan

Most likely looking for somewhere to pupate when they start wandering for suitable place to burrow into soil. Can you confirm DHHM and not a privet hawk which is only UK resident which resembles DH larva.

You got a point there I am begining to wonder if I got it Wrong and it was a Privet Hawk Catterpillar It was nearly as big and fat as my little finger with a curly bit sticking up on its hind quarters green in colour and marking across or down the sides of its body.( Confused now).
Barquar

[PMG]

Originally Posted by barquar

You got a point there I am begining to wonder if I got it Wrong and it was a Privet Hawk Catterpillar It was nearly as big and fat as my little finger with a curly bit sticking up on its hind quarters green in colour and marking across or down the sides of its body.( Confused now).
Barquar

Deaths Head are yellow in the final instar? Don't know if they are green ealier on - but at a guess it would sound like a Privet HM??

Pauline

[barquar]

Originally Posted by PMG

Deaths Head are yellow in the final instar? Don't know if they are green ealier on - but at a guess it would sound like a Privet HM??

Pauline

Thanks pauline I am thinking yes Privet Moth Catterpillar now it was very Green.
Barquar

[Lance Morgan]

Interestingly the DHHM has three colour forms in the larval stage... yellow, green and a brown form with white markings near the head. They all hatch from the egg a very pale green but some change colour as they get bigger and shed their skins. Nobody seems to be able to give a definitive answer as to why they have different colour forms but it may be something to do with environment and temperature. They like it hot and humid during all stages of development.
In the final instar the tail horn os quite small and wrinkled while the privet hawks is erect and glossy black.
As with most hawks the larva change colour from normal to plum or brown and void fluid and shrink when they are near time to pupate. They stop feeding and wander, sometimes considerable distances to find somewhere to burrow into the soil.

[Harry Eales]

Given, that even in a very good year for migrant lepidoptera (which this year isn't) that the Death's Head Hawkmoth is still scarce, it is more likely that this larva is one of the resident British Hawkmoths. A photograph always helps. Migrant Lepidoptera this year are very noticible by their absence. A distinct change from most of the last decade.

Harry

[barquar]

Thanks to you all its a great learning curve,I went out 5 minutes later to try and photograph it but could not find it, I put it on a lawn under a tree but it must have gone into the grass and hid itself.
Barquar