Strange Creature

View on picasa

Having finished in my garden for the day and cleared everything away I noticed a rather strange looking caterpillar crawling through the grass. It was mostly black about three inches(8cm) long and roughly half inch(1cm)wide but the oddest feature was what appeared to be a white feather growing from its back. I quickly took a photograph and then searched the internet for my visitors identity. After several websites and numerous searches I had to give up, I was at a loss. I decided to enlist the help of Gary at Uk Safari I sent him my photo and my tale of woe and quick as a flash….it is a Elephant Hawk Moth larva with a small bird feather stuck to its back..ah well once you see the image you MAY understand my mistake, then again you may not..don’t say it…you should have gone to specsavers