Caterpillar I.D please

[nuttyred]

My dog just found this quite large caterpillar, can anyone I.D it for me please. Don't worry, I have put it well out of the way of the dog who wanted to play.

[ChasMacey]

Could it be the Privet Hawk Moth ?

Regards Chas

[Dogghound]

Close chas its a poplar hawkmoth Laothoe populi

[nuttyred]

A Hawkmoth............thank you

[Dogghound]

Yes a poplar one probrably our second or third most common hawkmoth. Still a nice find though.

[nuttyred]

Well, like I said, our dog, a Jack Russell,found it. She was sniffing about under a plant and crying, looking at me as if to say 'there's something under here, help me find it', so I looked and the caterpillar was what she had found. Only the 3rd caterpillar I have seen this year!!!!

[naturegirl]

Just a little tip here!

All our native Hawkmoths have this 'tail' or 'spike'!

Hope this helps.

Naturegirl

[Wild-Woman]

I've seen a few of these lately. Most were off to find somewhere to pupate.