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Happy nature news to make you smile (thread)
In September my neighbour found a ginormous caterpillar in the garden and called me down to look.
I was amazed!
#Nature #HappyNews #Moths
In September my neighbour found a ginormous caterpillar in the garden and called me down to look.
I was amazed!
#Nature #HappyNews #Moths
We looked it up and saw it was an elephant hawk moth caterpillar.
We decided to keep it as a pet to watch its lifecycle.
I had a butterfly hatching mesh from @insectlore and we turned it into a habitat filled with all the things it likes to eat.
Can you spot him?
We decided to keep it as a pet to watch its lifecycle.
I had a butterfly hatching mesh from @insectlore and we turned it into a habitat filled with all the things it likes to eat.
Can you spot him?
We called him Nicholas "Hawky" Hawksmoth after the architect Hawksmoor because my neighbour is studying architectural history. Plus it& #39;s very apt.
(This gives it male pronouns but we do not know its sex.)
(This gives it male pronouns but we do not know its sex.)
He settled in nicely in the cool dry stairwell and I would surreptitiously swipe bits of people& #39;s fuscias and a particular type of weed to bring him fresh food every day.
Here he is awaiting his fresh food. He looks a bit like a snake doesn& #39;t he
Here he is awaiting his fresh food. He looks a bit like a snake doesn& #39;t he
Elephant hawk moths don& #39;t dangle when they turn into a chrysalis, they bury themselves. So I gave him a tub of dry leaves and bark.
Soon he was rummaging in the leaves and then went quiet.
After a couple of weeks to let him harden I checked and saw he was a brown chrysalis.
Soon he was rummaging in the leaves and then went quiet.
After a couple of weeks to let him harden I checked and saw he was a brown chrysalis.
Then we waited. For 7 months
Until today!! When he finally HATCHED! 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎊" title="Confetti ball" aria-label="Emoji: Confetti ball">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎉" title="Party popper" aria-label="Emoji: Party popper">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎊" title="Confetti ball" aria-label="Emoji: Confetti ball">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🎉" title="Party popper" aria-label="Emoji: Party popper">
He has a bright pink fluffy tummy and green stripes on his back.
See how pink he is!
We made sure his wings looked dry and strong then took him outside for release into the wild
He has a bright pink fluffy tummy and green stripes on his back.
See how pink he is!
We made sure his wings looked dry and strong then took him outside for release into the wild
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He climbed onto my hand and let me lift him out
He sat on my hand and let me take his picture for a moment while he flapped his wings.
Look at his fluffy pink tummy, his big eyes and his green stripeshttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes">
Look at his fluffy pink tummy, his big eyes and his green stripes
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" title="He sat on my hand and let me take his picture for a moment while he flapped his wings.Look at his fluffy pink tummy, his big eyes and his green stripes https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😍" title="Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes">">
Then he hopped onto the flower I showed him and paused before flying away into the wild. Happy and free.
Bye Hawky!! Have a happy life in the wild!
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🥰" title="Smiling face with 3 hearts" aria-label="Emoji: Smiling face with 3 hearts">
Bye Hawky!! Have a happy life in the wild!
Here& #39;s a video.
(No sound because my neighbour was talking about something irrelevant)
(No sound because my neighbour was talking about something irrelevant)
