This bizarre creature, almost three inches long, was making its way across the sandstone flag desert of our newly-laid terrace yesterday. Other than that it was a rather oversized caterpillar, we had no idea what it was.
The web tells us that it is the caterpillar of the elephant hawk-moth, one of the largest in the British Isles. It turns into a quite spectacular moth which, while it is described as one of the most common hawk-moths seen in Britain, has failed to make an acquaintance with me.
I love the detail in the animal, from the impressively deterrent 'eyes' at the front to the tusk-like projection by its mouth to the....
....lethal-looking stingray barb in its tail.
We carefully moved it into a safe place in the shrubbery with the hope that, when it has pupated and emerged, the moth in all its glory will pop in and see us to say 'thank you'.
Meanwhile, 2019 continues to be a good year for dragonflies. This male migrant hawker has taken possession of our allotment and spends his time patrolling it - presumably in the hope that a female will fly by. Today this dragon managed to trap himself in to one of the netting frames we use to keep the pigeons off the brassicas and, like the elephant, had to be rescued.
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