The Elephant Hawkmoth

Have you ever been outside, doing nothing important at all, and then suddenly discover something amazing? That was my experience the day I came upon an Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar.

I was out tending my backyard garden. Although I enjoy gardening, I can't say that I am terribly good at it. Things get fertilized and watered on an occasional basis; bedding plants get thinned very irregularly, and the weeding gets done when I find both the time and impetus. As such, the weeds tend to do better than the desirable plants they compete with. One day, when the urge struck me, I was out saving my burgeoning crop from its evil nemesis when I came across an enormous caterpillar, the biggest one I have ever seen.

It was a surprising find; the body was blotched tan and gray and there were four large eye-spots just behind the last pair of true legs. I was in for another surprise when I picked it up. The behemoth tucked its head and neck into the upper abdomen causing the legs to pinch together and stick out and the eye-spots to bulge. It looked monstrous with the legs resembling a terrifying set of jaws. I was unfamiliar with the species but it seemed reasonable that this was a defense mechanism meant to startle a would-be predator. I thought it represented a bluff and there was no real threat at all but the effect was still intense and immediate. The thought of tossing it away and "screaming like a girl" entered into the deepest part of my psyche. Any self-respecting biologist would never do this and so I managed to contain myself and continue to examine my prize.

Whenever I make such a remarkable discovery, it is my habit to share it with others. The caterpillar had settled down and was no longer feigning aggression; it began to explore its surroundings by crawling over and around my hand. I showed numerous kids in the area; they were all amazed and many of them uttered astonishment that such a thing could be found in their neighbourhood. This was some 15 years ago the children, now adults, can still remember the event.

I used to have a large honeysuckle growing in what I call my bird garden. It is a place where nest boxes, feeders, and attractive plants that feed birds grow; numerous species visit it regularly. It turns out it also attracts butterflies, which is why I think a hawk moth came and laid eggs. The caterpillar was feeding on one of the weeds I was removing. The following year I discovered an adult elephant hawk moth feeding on the nectar-laden honeysuckle flowers. The photograph insert is a shot I captured of it. Hawkmoths, also called sphynx moths, are large, robust insects that look like small hummingbirds when they take their liquid gold. I have caught a few of them over the years; they can often be found in the late spring at dusk visiting flowers.

If you see what looks like a small hummingbird, it may be a hawk moth. If you happen to discover one of its caterpillars, have no fear. They are harmless despite the fact you may be tempted to "scream like a girl" and run away.

Thanks for reading.     Ericspix     Eric Svendsen