Re: Giant caterpillar

David Woodthorpe wrote:

> I live in Scunthorpe, UK, which is not a place where tropical insects
> normally roam.  Scunthorpe is a safe place!However, today my wife found a
> caterpillar which looks as though it belongs in a rain forest.  It had the
> audacity to wander across the patio as she was taking morning coffee.  It is
> huge, about 8cms long and has a horn on its rear end.  The thorax (I think,
> anyway, the front end) has what could be described as two kidney shaped
> patterns on either side.  The caterpillar is fat too, probably 2.5 - 3 cms
> circumference.  I can't measure it because it makes very sudden movements
> when disturbed and they have the desired effect.  I haven't touched it.  It
> is greeny brown and slightly lighter at the head.  There is like a very fine
> honeycomb pattern over the seven? body sections.  I  do understand that they
> bruise easily so it is in a large container with an assortment of leaves.  I
> think it is responsible for making lots of holes in some geraniums.  So, I
> wondered if anyone might know what this giant of a caterpillar is, and if
> anyone might be interested in receiving it as gift?
> I'd love to hear from someone.  Thanks, David W
Hel;lo.

I am curious: has  noone replied to your query yet?  It looks to me like 
a sphingid of some kind, but then, given that I am in Los Angeles,  I 
could be very far off the track.  Neil Jones (look for him on this 
newsgroup) should be able to tell you quite accurately what species it 
is -- and far quicker than I as well.  Both the size and the horn are 
pretty good keying features to the family level, however: although some 
species lose their caudal horn after the first or second instar, there 
is usually a tell-tale button where the horn was.  The behavior you 
describe is also fairly common among sphinx moth caterpillars.

Pierre A Plauzoles
[EMAIL PROTECTED]