Chap found this little fellow yesterday on the ground underneath a neighbour’s aspen tree. Isn’t he stunning? Such gorgeous colours.

It’s the caterpillar of a poplar hawk moth (Laothoe populi), and I gather they feed on aspen, poplar and willow leaves. The aspen leaves are starting to fall so he might have been on one when it tumbled off the tree.

Poplar hawk moth caterpillar, 14 September 2014. Photo by Inglenookery.

I hope he wasn’t hurt—we aren’t sure what the clear liquid is, but hope it might be some sort of defence mechanism rather than indicating he is injured.

We aren’t sure what the clear liquid is, but hope that the little fellow wasn’t hurt. Photo by Inglenookery.

He’s such a gorgeous lime green colour with four rows of maroon spots, and matching bootees! Chap put him back under the tree: he’ll dig a hole and pupate there, and hatch out next year as a beautiful moth.

Poplar hawk moth. Photo by Hamon jean-pierre.