Elephant Hawk-moth.

[JohnP]

I have waited years to photograph an Elephant Hawk-moth and it finally happened today. Last Autumn my friend accidently dug up a large pupa in her garden and she brought it to me for ID. I knew it was an hawk moth but it's too difficult to tell which at the pupa stage. I overwintered it and the moth emerged this afternoon, I've put the pupa in a bird peanut feeder last Autumn and put a few inches of fine soil in the feeder to cover the pupa and I kept in my conservatory through the winter, I've been putting it outside on the warmer days recently and bringing it in again at night. The reason I used a bird feeder was to give the moth somewhere to climb to pump up it's wings when it emerged from the soil and to make sure it didn't escape before I'd taken some shots. The first shot is the moth on my friends coat collar and in the second shot it's on a plant in my conservatory. I will be releasing it this evening.

[kev7d]

Wonderful looking bug John. Looks quite an exotic species. 

[JohnP]

1 minute ago, kev7d said:

Wonderful looking bug John. Looks quite an exotic species. 

I'm pretty chuffed to have a photo of one after so many years, I would have like to see and photograph one in it's natural environment but I probably would have been waiting for ever.

[kev7d]

Even more impressed by your dedication to keep the bug safe over winter.  

[JohnP]

The moth seemed reluctant to go last evening so I left a conservatory window open and it's gone this morning... I hope it finds a mate and does the business... I can't ever remember seeing an Elephant Hawk-moth shot posted here before.

[JohnP]

On 01/06/2016 at 20:56, kev7d said:

Even more impressed by your dedication to keep the bug safe over winter.  

Thanks Kevin!  At least you have shown interest in this post.

[Jack]

Nice shots, like them both. i know nothing about moths. Glad you got to see it. Nice detail. 

 

 

[Paul]

Superb moth - so envious!

Paul.

[kev7d]

I keep coming back to look at this bug. It's quite remarkeable. 

[JohnP]

I have only ever seen an Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar once and I took this shot with my first ever digital camera (an HP Photosmart 850) back in about 2003/4.

[kev7d]

An amazing transformation. 

[Clicker]

Did you record any images of the  pupa John  before the metamorphosis?   What an ingenious idea to put it in a peanut bird feeder to prevent it flying off before you could capture an image ... Brilliant idea . And what a stunning specimen that is ... Never ever seen one before ...  No wonder you feel so chuffed at the result. Hats off to you Squire ...I'd be very pleased with myself if I'd been instrumental in in facilitating the emergence of such a splendid and uncommon creature  brilliant job ! 

[JohnP]

On 03/06/2016 at 08:22, kev7d said:

An amazing transformation. 

[JohnP]

15 minutes ago, Clicker said:

Did you record any images of the  pupa John  before the metamorphosis?   What an ingenious idea to put it in a peanut bird feeder to prevent it flying off before you could capture an image ... Brilliant idea . And what a stunning specimen that is ... Never ever seen one before ...  No wonder you feel so chuffed at the result. Hats off to you Squire ...I'd be very pleased with myself if I'd been instrumental in in facilitating the emergence of such a splendid and uncommon creature  brilliant job ! 

Thank you very much Polly!  I didn't photograph the Pupa, I guess I just forgot that in my rush to riddle some soil and get it covered ASAP. The bird feeder was perfect not only to stop it flying away before I'd photographed the moth but it was able to climb the fine wire mesh in order to unfurl and dry out it's wings.

[JohnP]

4 minutes ago, JohnP said:

 

One of the highlights of my year so far.

[Clicker]

It was a good job your friend recognised what it was in the first place John ... I shall have to google it to get an image ... Just in case  yer know ....when I'm gardening ! 

[JohnP]

3 hours ago, Clicker said:

It was a good job your friend recognised what it was in the first place John ... I shall have to google it to get an image ... Just in case  yer know ....when I'm gardening ! 

Polly... the pupa is dark brown and elongated with a point at one end, the point will wriggle when touched although I only did that once to check it was alive. I didn't want to disturb it as it was in hibernation and I just wanted to get it covered with soil ASAP. It looks like many other moth pupa I have accidently dug up but much larger, I have always reburied pupa where I found them but due to the large size of this one I was hoping it was an Elephant Hawk-moth as I'd never seen one before, it could have been any one of several species of hawk moths although I had an hunch I was going to be lucky for some reason. Here's a shot of the empty pupa case, sorry it's not a good shot I took it with my compact.

[Clicker]

ThanksJohn ...that's really  helpful ...it's a lot bigger thanI thought it would be ...fascinating stuff !

[JohnP]

34 minutes ago, Clicker said:

ThanksJohn ...that's really  helpful ...it's a lot bigger thanI thought it would be ...fascinating stuff !

Polly... I found this video, it's not an Elephant Hawk-moth but an Australian Hawk-moth, it will give you an insight into how the moth comes into the world. It's a shame I missed this moment with my moth but I'm still chuffed all the same.

 

[Clicker]

Wow ...isn't nature wonderful .... Thanks for that John ...

[JohnP]

19 hours ago, Clicker said:

Wow ...isn't nature wonderful .... Thanks for that John ...

After carefully looking after it since last Autumn and using a misting spray several times a week to make sure it didn't get too dry I feel I've lost a friend now it's gone...

[Clicker]

I can understand that John ... 'Twas a labour of love eh ,...