[mumofstig]

Went to look to see why my fuchsia suddenly looked half dead and found 5 of these munching away happily     elephant hawk moth  over 3 inches long, and they'd eaten nearly all the leaves

They are now a long way away on the railway embankment......i didn't have the heart to squidge them..they look so unusual

[SnooziSuzi]

aw I love those!!  if you find any more and have any rosebay willowherb nearby then they love to eat that instead of your fuchsias :happy:

[Weatherwatcher]

i didn't have the heart to squidge them..they look so unusual

I'm so glad you didn't squidge them as the latest report says they're becoming endangered

[tode]

You deserve a medal Mum 
But then, you're already a hero member, aren't you 
I think its worth growing a couple of extra fuschias to get more next year 

[mrs bouquet]

Thats interesting, because I posted a few days ago that I found one on the greenhouse floor.  Somebody was kind enough to identify it and send me a pic of the beautiful moth.  I took mine across to the field and put it carefully into the hedgrow.
But I have a fushia outside my greenhouse - I am going to go and look at it now - no I am not its raining very hard.  Oh, its stopped and lovely sun has followed.  Mrs Bouquet

[sunshineband]

Five!!! You lucky lucky thing.

Look out next summer late in the evening and they might pay you a visit. They love honeysuckle flowers and the moths are just beautiful. You can hear their wings whirr they move them so fast too 

[mumofstig]

Five!!! You lucky lucky thing.

Not sure about lucky, don't know if the fuchsia will recover, and it was a fave

[sunshineband]

 Hope it will be OK. Ours are fairly tough but I guess some might be more delicate 

[mumofstig]

It wasn't one of the big hardy ones, that wouldn't have been a problem.
 It was a big double flowered basket jobby...called Voodoo so hope it lives.....fingers crossed

voodoo link

[sunshineband]

These are lovely 

Although it isn't hardy, it will certainly regrow if there is time this season. If not, are you planning to keep it somehwere frost free over winter?

Next season it'll be as good as new IMHO. MInd you, keep an eye out for caterpillars and transfer them to another food plant next time to save your fuschia. As SS said, they do eat willowherb (both great and rosebay) so that's an option 

[mumofstig]

are you planning to keep it somehwere frost free over winter?

They all go in the greenhouse over winter so hope it puts on a bit of growth before then, just to build up a bit of strength, so it makes it through

[Ruby Red]

   
  I found one legging it over the cobbles and thought it was a slug at first. They like Rosebay willow herb , luckily I have some . It would have given some bird a treat if Id left it

[8doubles]

I would think most birds would be a bit wary of them but many years ago i saw 4 or 5 wasps attacking one. When i looked later half of the caterpillar had been carried away to feed the wasp grubs.