Large larvae ID

[eddie-kgb]

Hey everyone,

I require help identifying this large larva. It's about 9-10cm long at full stretch. It has quite a large thorax when it is constricted. It has markings that look like eyes on the thorax and a sharp point at the end of its abdomen. There's a couple of them that were on a plant in my garden, unfortunately my dad threw the plant away before spotting them. Do you think they will perish without this plant? I will be very disapointed if they do. Does anyone know what insect this will be when adult, possibly a large moth?

[Dogghound]

Elephant Hawkmoth Deilephila elpenor. Relocate them near some rosebay willowherb (railway weed).

[charlieb]

It's an Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor - they eat rosebay willowherb, fuchsias and bedstraw, amongst other things.

[eddie-kgb]

Thanks very much for the ID. It's a very pleasant looking moth. Though I'm not sure if they were feasting on any of those plants. I have located the plant they were on in the garden waste. The plant looks like a willowherb, though its flowers are very small (maybe 8-10mm in diameter) a light pink/purple colour. Could this be a species of willowherb? I will try and locate another location for the larvae, perhaps sneak them on a neighbours' fuchsia bush