Help needed to identify a caterpillar

[Crunchie]

Found this caterpillar on some recently dug soil next to raspberry bushes. Not seen one like this before & looks rather aggressive! Have given it various leaves but doesn't want to know. Does any one know what it is?

[Jason Green]

Hi Crunchie (You sound nice! ) and welcome to WAB!

If it was in the soil, I'd assume it was 'pupating'; in the transitional stage between larva (Caterpillar) and pupa.

[charlieb]

It's The Miller - Jason's right - it's about to pupate. Normally they're bright green with white hairs, but change colour. They eat Birch and alder, but it'll have stopped eating now. If you want to keep it, put it in a tub with corrugated cardboard or soft wood.

[Jason Green]

As per Charlie's ID... UKMoths - The Miller Acronicta leporina

[Crunchie]

Thanks for that. Had put it into a cardboard box with a branch from an ash but it started shredding the cardboard instead! Just thought it was trying to escape so it figures that it's about to pupate! Will have to keep an eye on it.
P.S the raspberry bush is under some silver birch trees so it must have fallen off from there.

[charlieb]

Yup, sounds like it's eager! They make their cocoons out of the cardboard. They overwinter as a pupa, so if you want to keep and see it turn into a moth, once it's pupated I would put it outside in a e.g. shed and bring it in next June. They can overwinter more than once, so if it doesn't hatch out by August next year, put it back outside and try again next next June!