Another hawkmoth uncovered

The creature, which can intrigue gardeners due to its unusual characteristics, was uncovered by Cheryl Cardwell last Thursday.

She took these photos of the elephant hawkmoth and sent them to the MAIL after reading the story last week about the insect unearthed in a Cookstown garden.

The Cookstown couple had contacted the Natural History Museum in a bid to identify the creature and a representative from the museum’s Advisory Service confirmed it was a hawkmoth, which can alarm gardeners with its eye spots and horn.

Cheryl only detected the creature thanks to her cat Tilly who appeared engrossed in something in the garden and when she went to investigate, she was puzzled.

“Last Thursday the cat went out and I could see she was playing with something. She was putting her paw on it and I wondered what she was doing so I went out to have a look,” said Cheryl.

“I told my mum about it and she told me about the story in last week’s Mid-Ulster Mail,” she added.

A common, striking species, the adults are an attractive pink and green, with a streamlined appearance. They fly from May to July, visiting flowers such as honeysuckle for nectar.

*If you have any unusual wildlife photographs you’d like to share with us, please contact [email protected] or visit our Facebook or Twitter.