HELP my Elephant Hawk Moth has 'hatched' today

[lizzybizzy]

My Elephant Hawk Moth came out of its cacoon today - very beautiful but Is it safe to release it now as i have no Honey suckle etc in my garden yet? Does anyone know what they eat? Otherwise i may have to take it to the nearest butterfly centre on saturday but worried it might die before then

Liz

[faz]

hi lizzybizzy welcome to wab


yes let him go dusk would have been better but he will find food like willow herb etc

[Matt Smith]

Your moth has emerged a good 2 months early. Letting it go will probably result in it's death as there in almost nothing flowering that would provide nectar atm.

I would keep it in captivity, that can be fed with a very diluted mix of honey and water of you unroll the proboscis and encorage it to taste the mix.

[Dogghound]

You have most likely kept it too warm i.e. in your house or in direct sunlight.

[lizzybizzy]

well this is what happened. I found it as a caterpillar at the end of summer and it turned into a cacoon late last year. It is kept in a tall butterfly home/net. I work in a nursery and a child found a caterpillar at nursery and so io took it home and put it in the same net, i then took this net to nursery to show them the caterpillar they found and within an hour the cacoon had 'hatched' and i guessed that it was because the nursery room is much warmer than my house as my house is freezing! and now im not too sure what to do but thanks to Matt i shall give it some honey and will have to take it the local butterfly house on my lunch break tomorrow to give it a good chance in life.

[paulewatts]

It was the warmth that made your elephant emerge which is a pity as it is far too early It will never find a mate and even if it did, any eggs laid would emerge as caterpillars way before the foodplant of Rose-bay Willow Herb was available. Best thing you can do is keep it fed with the honey mixture above until it dies. Unless, of course, your local butterfly farm can suggest anything?

[lizzybizzy]

I have taken it to the local butterfly farm so everything is fine. Thankyou all for your help.

[nightshade]

The caterpillars eat Fuschia as well as Rosebay willow herb