Elephant Hawkmoth

[lizard orchid]

Yes, as prevoius poster mentioned it would be now best to leave undisturbed even though soil might be drying out a bit. I hope your caterpillar pupates O.K.

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

[Boothros]

HELP! Hello I am new to this forum having only discovered it whilst investigating my EHM 'problem' The other day I discovered a very large caterpillar on a medium sized fuschia bush. With a bit of Googling I quickly identified it as a Hawkmoth. I went back to have another look and found another. And another. And another. I gave up counting at twenty five. I don't know if this is a common occurance but I have never seen anything quite like it. Anyway, fast forward a few days and the fuschia is much diminished. Hence the caterpillars are more visible. So visible that my dogs have discovered them. I don't think they have tried eating them yet but unless the caterpillars have a very sharp turn of speed the dogs have certainly been moving them about as I'm finding them all over the place. Try as I might to watch them, when you have five mischeivious whippets who now know exactly where the caterpillar crop reside, I do fear for their future as moths. So what exactly should I be doing for my new residents? There is no way I can cordon off the plant and to be honest the way they are going I'd estimate they've only got 2 -3 days of fuschia left anyway. Is it not starting to get rather cold for such soft bodied creatures to be out and about? Bringing them in would be possible but what sort of receptical should I choose for what could be up to 30 odd EHM caterpillars? Advice gladly welcomed thankyou, Sharon in Portsmouth

[operanut1972]

Hi Sharon,

I've only just found your post. I like to nose in every thread but not everyone does, so apologise for the delay in reply. May I suggest you start a new thread of your own or ask one of the moderators to move it for you so it becomes more visible, this way, you may get the answers you are looking for.

Sorry couldn't be more helpful, hope it gets resolved for you.

[lizard orchid]

Originally Posted by Boothros

HELP! Hello I am new to this forum having only discovered it whilst investigating my EHM 'problem' The other day I discovered a very large caterpillar on a medium sized fuschia bush. With a bit of Googling I quickly identified it as a Hawkmoth. I went back to have another look and found another. And another. And another. I gave up counting at twenty five. I don't know if this is a common occurance but I have never seen anything quite like it. Anyway, fast forward a few days and the fuschia is much diminished. Hence the caterpillars are more visible. So visible that my dogs have discovered them. I don't think they have tried eating them yet but unless the caterpillars have a very sharp turn of speed the dogs have certainly been moving them about as I'm finding them all over the place. Try as I might to watch them, when you have five mischeivious whippets who now know exactly where the caterpillar crop reside, I do fear for their future as moths. So what exactly should I be doing for my new residents? There is no way I can cordon off the plant and to be honest the way they are going I'd estimate they've only got 2 -3 days of fuschia left anyway. Is it not starting to get rather cold for such soft bodied creatures to be out and about? Bringing them in would be possible but what sort of receptical should I choose for what could be up to 30 odd EHM caterpillars? Advice gladly welcomed thankyou, Sharon in Portsmouth

Dear Sharon,
I have never seen that many on a single fuschia before. If you can find another fuschia to move them to maybe if a friend has a large plant. Overwise elephant hawk moth caterpillars will also feed on bogbean, a number of the bedstraw and willowherb species including rosebay willowherb. I have also read up recently someone had seen them feeding on Indian Balsam which is an invasive alien species especially of river embankments. They should all pupate before the really cold weather comes in and usually wonder about and pupate in the soil somewhere. I have seen an elephant hawk moth caterpillar as late as mid October back in the 1990's.
I hope this helps.

Brian Laney, Northamptonshire.

[Boothros]

Thankyou for your kind replies. However it would seem the caterpillars have decided to solve the problem themselves. Now that the fuschia is well and truly decimated, all but two or three have disappeared. I've found some of them making their way to pastures new (surprising how quickly they can move!) though where they have gone to nobody knows. Others I have found quite actively wriggling about on the surface of the soil so I assume some may have buried themselves already. The good news is that the dogs whilst facinated by them have not tried to attack them or eat them but stand there barking at them. (I've no idea what the dogs expect this to achieve.) I very rarely get any birds in my garden so I really don't think they have become lunch, in fact as far as I know the only real casualty has been the poor fuschia!

[diannedi56]

An angry Elephent (from chettuva ): An angry Elephent (from chettuva ) - KendinCos

[candleflame1]

Hi there
Any one out there in the wide blue yonder can help me
Last year i found an elephant hawk moth caterpiller and took some good advice via this website on out to look after it during the winter.Its been in a container in my shed over the winter and i understand that May is the time that it will hatch.
As yet it hasn't and i was wondering what i should do next ...bring it in doors ?
help needed please ,i would hate for it to die through something that i havn't done !!!
Thanks

[Douglas]

Yes, I'd bring it inside. Put it in a place you'd see it everyday - not in direct sunlight though.

Make sure you've got some sticks in with it or similar so it has something to climb onto when it hatches.

[candleflame1]

Many thanks Douglas , i have bought it indoors and now it adorns my kitchen
windowsill (its by the sink so i shall be able to keep an eye on it as i'm always at the kitchen sink )!!!
As its now coming to the end of May could it be hatching soon or could i still be waiting into June,do they leave it that late sometimes to hatch ....i'm worried it might be dead or something

Maggie