Cut the hedge yesterday and after I had finished my grandson, aged eighteen months, found this attached to my trousers.
Poplar Hawkmoth (Laothoe populi)
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It was BIG, about the size of my thumb :)
Nice photos of the wee beast! guessing the wee lad enjoyed it also. :D
He wasn't even phased by it. He wanted to grab it and crush it :) I got the other two up that night to see it. The four year old boy was fine and let it walk on his hand, the six year old girl was fine 'till she felt its claws on her skin and freaked out. They have tiny claws on the ends of their feet that prick the skin and she thought it was stinging her :) I like to get them involved with nature as much as I can so coming across this was a plus. Last week with the wee one it was worms while I was digging the garden. My wife had to stop him from stretching them beyond breaking point :roll:. At least he didn't eat any, that we know of :shock:
I didn't know about the claws, never seen one of these myself.
Good to hear your teaching them about nature. :D
I saw on the TV where they asked city children to identify common animals, many did not know the difference between a cow and a chicken. :(
You can see the claws here in this compilation of blow-ups.
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Quote from: Darwin on June 15, 2012, 04:08:55 PM
I didn't know about the claws, never seen one of these myself.
Good to hear your teaching them about nature. :D
I saw on the TV where they asked city children to identify common animals, many did not know the difference between a cow and a chicken. :(
And an amazing number didn't know milk came from cows - wheat was a common guess :shock:
Those claws almost look menacing :shock: Now I am glad I have not seen one ;)