Monday 8 August 2011

Meet Fredrick...The Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar...

This week my mum is staying at my brother's house, dog sitting while he's on holiday.  Today she popped home with a 'present' for me...an enormous caterpillar that she's found on the path at my brother's house and rescued because he 'looked cold', and probably so the dogs don't eat him.  I've done a bit of research on him, and he's an Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar, he likes to eat fuchsia and willow herb.  Currently he has lettuce and a pink flower to eat, I shall have to go on a fuchsia hunt under cover of darkness later! He would like a layer of soil and leaves to pupate in, he'll make a cocoon any time now, then he needs to hang out somewhere cool over winter, like the shed, then in spring he'll turn into a beautiful butterfly..well, moth!  I have called him Fredrick. 



This is what Fred will turn into one day!


Elephant Hawk-moth adult


I found information from here and here especailly useful in finding out how to care for Fred.  Have you ever raised a caterpillar-child?  Any tips?

2 comments:

  1. Whoa! Hi Fred! :)
    It's strange how so little – and in some cases awful – creatures become wonderful! Nature is surprising everytime!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow - that's a big caterpillar!

    Good luck with him.

    Kay :)

    ReplyDelete

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