For the love of all that is good and natural, PLEASE tell me what this is!

[sorrythisnameistaken]

NC just in case! Hope picture uploads...

What the fuck is it??? We thought the cat had done a shit at first but... it's got eyes... and a mouth...

It was on the patio this morning but it's now in the bushes and I need to know a) what it is and b) whether it is harmful to cats or life in general. Suffice to say, I'm never going in the garden again!

Please please please tell me what it is! PLEASE?!

I’m not keen on moths either. And I definitely don’t like crane flies. Butterflies I can just about handle. Thank fuck I don’t have any fuschias.

I found some in the garden llast year. Sacred the poop out of me when I initially saw its 'face'

What you are looking at is its rear end.

He is adorable!

@sorrythisnameistaken - Wait... it has eyes on its arse Pesty? Nature does some crazy things!

The hawk moth caterpillar's rear end is camouflaged to look like a snake. It deters predators.

That is so cute! I want one.......
< runs off to search what little garden there is outside >

I'm getting a whole lesson in caterpillars today!

Could be worse…

I had a nice large moth in my living room this morning. One of my cats now has a nice large moth in her belly .

I had a massive green cricket stuck in my bedroom rug this morning. Do you think they are coming in to try and escape the heat? Or is that crazy!

That's not a moth...THIS is a moth!

Banterlope what is that????

Are they doing particularly well this year? Because I've never been shown a picture of one before until yesterday, someone I know had one in her garden. I think rosebay willowherb is coping with the dry weather better than some other wildflowers, I guess that could affect numbers?

Be kind people. They are whopping great things and if you havent seen one before both perplexing and alarming.

Even real looking butterflies on clothes, I have to move away from someone if they are wearing something as it just freaks me out.
I need to get a grip!

Blimey, that's pretty severe hellsbells.

I have a bird phobia that was so severe that I was beginning to think I might have to give up driving (I was finding it harder and harder not to duck and cover my face if a bird flew towards the windscreen while I was driving). I had CBT, which helped a lot.

I'm not cured, by any means, but it is no longer impossible for me to eat out of doors and when a blackcap flew in our living room window a few weeks ago, I was able to walk into the kitchen without screaming and close the door while DP encouraged it out again. Pre-CBT, that would have had me sobbing, shaking and hysterical, at least, pissing myself and passing out at worst.

Your phobia sounds almost as difficult to manage as mine was, it might be worth seeing if your GP will refer you.

Snowysky20009 It's a Wētā – the largest and heaviest insect in the world. It lives in New Zealand and I don't like it!

Has it got teeth?!?

Our bugs will scare you into a coma. Then they’ll eat you. 😂😂😂

Banterlope What in Satan's butt crack is that monster?

Oh I saw a video on FB the other day of a lady filming one of these on her phone (it was a moth by then, not caterpillar) and she was saying how amazing it was and then suddenly her toddler walks across the vision of the camera and walks straight on to it :(

Banterlope

Cross post.

Good grief.

I don't like it

I don't blame you.
I'd volunteer for the one way trip of a Mars mission to get away from that, well either that or run it over with a truck.

It does look very cute... until you expand the picture and then I swear my heart stopped in terror! The actual moth looks stunning.

Looks like a caterpillar. Stay calm and think of the children!

Okay, I'm calm now! Thank you for identifying this creature! At ease...

Iamtryingtobenicehere Yes, exactly. It looks ok until you click on the picture, then it looks really alarming and it is jarring.

Immediately made me think of the Labyrinth "Allo"