anyone?

twas a big bleeder!

Yep, I definitely recognise him – it's Leonardo.

I haven't seen him since saturday – is he alright ?

Hawk Moth.

They are big bleeders. 🙂

Pine Hawk Moth.

ernie

i would say the last time i saw leonardo he was a little perplexed by the flapping screaming spectacle that was my wife as he hovered near her face…

cheers for the info, it was massive, it was really co operative, (ie sleepy) it crawled on my stick and let me take pictures, then it vibrated its wings to warm them up, and then made a bee (well moth) line for the missus…

Her reaction to a Death's Head Hawk Moth would have been even more spectacular. They hiss when threatened, and they are huge, their caterpillars are six inches long, IIRC. Quite rare in this country, you wouldn't want to get hit in the face by one on a long fast downhill. It's the moth in the Silence Of The Lambs posters.
[edit] Here's something about the Desth's Head. Check out the wingspan!

1973 Death's-head Hawk-moth Acherontia atropos
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan 80-120 mm.

The largest moth to appear in Britain, sporting a wingspan of up to 12 or 13cm, this is a striking species, though it is not native. Immigrants arrive from southern Europe, usually several in each year, during late summer and autumn.

It has the unusual habit of entering beehives in search of honey, and if handled, emits a loud squeak.

The large caterpillar feeds on potato (Solanum tuberosum), and is sometimes found in potato fields during good immigration years.

[/edit]

these are quite impressive. don't see many of them about though

elephant hawk moth

I've been squashing moths a lot in my new flat. I didn't want them to eat my clothes. I then discovered most of the ones I'd squashed weren't the clothes eating sort. 🙁

Those Elephant Hawk Moths are stunning. Place I used to work was on the edge of open countryside, and during the summer the night shift printers would have all the doors open, so it wasn't unusual to arrive in the morning and find several perched on the walls. Easy to coax them onto a finger and take them outside to somewhere sheltered from birds.
Incredible colouring.

I found a damselfly in our offices earlier.

Couldn't catch/release it but if it's still there tomorrow I'll certainly have a go

Think our biggest resident moth is the Privet Hawkmoth. Those Elephant Hawkmoths are striking aren't they…. Had quite a bit of Honeysuckle growing where I used to live and they would flock to it on warm Summer evenings. Moths are ace 😀