Rare encounter with beautiful monster

I was brought to an abrupt halt before even getting through the aforementioned gate.

Hearing a buzzing sound, at first I was filled with dread, thinking I was about to be pursued by a hornet or wasp, which much like the deer would have sent me running off in the opposite direction! But looking down, I spotted a torpedo-shaped body which had appeared to have crash-landed into the long grass. Streaked in pink and black, with long and narrow wings, this was a moth of clearly mammoth proportions. I’d twig to pose for identification. Finishing our walk and switching on my computer for the day, I pinged off an email to Mr Elder who, sure enough, came back and confirmed my finding – a privet hawk-moth, the UK’s largest resident moth.

Further Googling tells me they are common in southern England, with a wingspan of 9-12cm. Yes, that’s definitely the one! I’m told that the caterpillars are equally magnificent, bright green with white and purple stripes and a black curved tail, so that will be my next challenge!

The privet hawk-moth spotted on a morning dog walk