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Large strange caterpillar
Hi there
I live in the South of England, 30 miles south of London and found this lone caterpillar (pivc attached) climbing our south facing outside house wall. Never seen anything like it before. Any ideas please and suggested action(s). At present we have placed it in a plastic bag with a cabbage leave!
Kind regards
Ian

Hi Ian,
We are not really sure what sort of action you wish to pursue. The Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar, Deilephila elpenor, presents no threat to you, and it will not eat cabbage. Just because we humans find cabbage to be so very toothsome does not mean vegetarians worldwide share our fondness for the leafy vegetable. The Elephant Hawkmoth prefers to feed on willowherb and bedstraw. It is most likely the caterpillar is preparing to pupate which is why you found it near the ground. The common name referring to elephant comes from the caterpillar which has a trunk-like snout.

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