Kitchen Garden Forum

For a couple of months now we have had an enormous black pupa resting in a large pot containing a gnarled old fuchsia, which in turn in resting next to a couple of apple trees in pots. Anyhow, we have been waiting avidly to see what was going to hatch out, I know, the title kind of gives it away. Imagine how upset we were to mooch outside on Sunday morning to find the pupa case split & emptied but a beautiful eyed hawk moth who decided to go for a swim in the fish pond! We fished it out for interest and I lined it up on a piece of paper with the pupa case and a coin and took a few photos. Later, when moving it, the poor creature feebly grabbed at my finger - I nearly dropped it out of surprise! We put it in the sun to dry out some more and then rested it on the roses to see if it would make it. That was yesterday, and the moth was still there this evening - we're hoping that it recovers sufficiently to make some new hawk moths, though, after this rollercoaster of emotion!

Dear Vivienz, there certainly are some amazing things out there, it's just matter of seeing them.

I just find it very heartwarming that amongst all the hustle and bustle of life, people are still able to find the time to care for some of the very small and helpless creatures in our universe and to give them a helping hand.

Hello vivienz, is it an elephant hawk-moth? Their caterpillars certainly feed on fuchsia (as well as the willowherbs).
Hawk-moths seem to be doing well this year. I have had reports of poplar hawk-moth and lime hawk-moth in the village, not recorded here before.

Yes its good eh, tonight on the plot, one chap came up and said, is anyone good with birds, he of course meant the feathered variety, a small starling was stuck in his brassica nets and got its wings and feet well stuck, a pair of scissors and five minutes work entangled him without a feather out of place and we chucked him up high, a few flutters and a grateful chirp and he was reaching for the sky.

Things like that make the day me thinks.

Compo

Hope the moth is ok, how big is it?

Good news - the moth spent a night on the roses recovering, but the following night seems to have found its wings and gone and done whatever mothy activities they get up to. No dead bodies in the rose bed, so we're assuming survival - excellent!
I had a good look at a few sites and I'm sure it's an eyed hawk moth - they feed on apple trees which the fuchsia was sat below, so I suspect that's where it came from, Monika. Whichever sort it was though, it's lovely to see them.
If any techy members can tell me how to attach a photo, I will gladly do so to show you our winged friend!

vivienz

Have a look at

viewtopic.php?t=25&highlight=photobucket

Saves explaining it all again.

Alan

Sorry the photos aren't better quality, I'm a luddite and still use film so had to make do with my phone. The give an good idea of the handsome chap, though. The coin is a 2p piece.