Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar Advice

[coffeetwosugars]

Hi all,

I have regularly visited these forums for advice about various wildlife, I am always trying to save/feed/appreciate something or other, tired bees, hedgehogs, birds, spiders etc.

At the moment I have 6 elephant hawk moth caterpillars. I am keeping daily tabs on them, one was saved from drain and relocated, the rest have had a wander about but at the moment all is well apart from one. This morning I went to check on them, and after yesterday's very heavy rain this one caterpillar was lying in the fuchsia pot half curled up and he was very wet. I picked him up, transferred him to a container with some kitchen towel and fuchsia leaves to see if he might perk up a bit. He was still moving a tiny bit. So I wondered if he was ready to pupate, so I transfered him to a box with soil leaves and twigs in (and more fuchsia) and left him alone. I checked on him this evening and he hasn't moved at all, and isn't moving. He is also much colder than he was when I moved him earlier. I'm concerned he may be dead, but the only thing I can think that may have affected him is the very wet weather yesterday. I read that they burrow or spin before pupating so I'm pretty sure it isn't that.

Can anyone shed some light on it, and whether I should have done something different, if he is dead I want to make sure the other 5 are ok. Any advice gratefully received.
Thanks
Diana

[Lance Morgan]

They go torpid and become inactive prior to skin change or may be infected with virus when they will exude watery green fluid and look soft. Either way isolate it from the others to see if it recovers.