What's this yoke I found in the garden?

Akrasia

Actually the cat brought it in. Golf ball is there for scale. It's like a ginormous caterpillar. Anyone know what it is?

Allinall

It's a draft excluder.

They use them in the premiership for defending free kicks.

Jequ0n

Hawk moth caterpillar…I think

Alun

An Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillar.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613113#Comment_119613113

Thats the one :)

Don't need to send for the Men in Black after all

Akrasia

Its magnificent

JDD

Would love to see the butterfly that behemoth turns into.

Archeron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613162#Comment_119613162

We might need Godzilla to protect us from it. Preferably a fight in Dublin bay with Godzilla using the Dart as nunchucks

SEPT 23 1989

that table could do with a drop of Ronseal

Fishdoodle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613789#Comment_119613789

😂

Interesting how the ‘scare appearance’ seems to mimic a snake , and there are no snakes in Ireland. .

Pherekydes

It's a golf ball.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

I hope you had a pupation party.

dabbler2004

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119614123#Comment_119614123

As far as I know they're not native but have been arriving here from _edit_ Europe.

https://birdwatchireland.ie/theres-a-hummingbird-in-my-garden/#:~:text=The%20Hummingbird%20Hawk%2Dmoth%20is,seem%20to%20be%20particular%20favourites.

mistersifter

They must've heard about our social welfare.

😬

Alun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615204#Comment_119615204

That's a different moth, there's a whole family of moths called Hawk Moths. This one is an Elephant Hawk Moth.

Fishdoodle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119615780#Comment_119615780

Is it native?

facehugger99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613160#Comment_119613160

On a positive note, I now know what my nightmares will be about tonight.

Wanderer78

golf ball, some cnut is taking pot shots at your house....

Ray Palmer

I read about these somewhere lately as I have seen them about for a few years fully grown. They aren’t native and come from Central Europe. They aren’t meant to be breading here apparently so if they are now if could be due to the summer this year and likely not survive the winter. They are huge and make a real thud when they hit my Bat Signal

Alun

I was under the impression that Elephant Hawk Moths were native, where did you read that they weren't? Hummingbird Hawk Moths don't breed here AFAIK but we get a few migrants flying over from the continent sometimes.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119618016#Comment_119618016

No idea could have mixed them up easily. I just know I went from never seeing them till about 5 years ago to seeing them every summer now a few times. Lots more this summer may be 10 or so

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613162#Comment_119613162

Not going to happen. It's a Moth.

Poor Uncle Tom

Cure it with fire, lots and lots of very warm fire......

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119619466#Comment_119619466

...and this is why we can't have nice things.

Poor Uncle Tom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119621738#Comment_119621738

You need to clean your 'nice things' filter,

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119613789#Comment_119613789

Don’t mention the elephant in the garden

Dubh Geannain

Might as well add this fella I snapped during the week. Google lens told me it was an American Dagger Moth but I was put right afterward that is was a pale tussock. Can cause irritation if touched apparently so I was glad I kept the kids from playing with it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119626568#Comment_119626568

please educate a non-google lens person- what is "google lens" ? (serious Q)

Yeah, some hairy caterpillars are not to be messed with- their hairs are serious irritants.

For Forks Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119628815#Comment_119628815

It's very nifty piece of software

https://lens.google/