Can anyone help to identify this caterpillar...please!?

Question

today I saw the largest caterpillar I have ever seen. Initially i thought it was long fat slug. In Hampshire UK, crawling across the pavement in a residential area. It was brown, some black dots, about 10 cm long and 1 cm diameter. I have never seen such a big caterpillar - what was it?

Answer 1

I can almost guarantee you that it was the larva (caterpillar) of the Elephant Hawk Moth (or Deilephila elpenor to give it its scientific name) - http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=4183

In their first stages (instars) after hatching they are green - then as they grow and moult they turn brown, looking very much like an elephant's trunk.

The black spots are meant to look like eyes, to scare predators away.  

They are common across the UK and, in my opinion, are one of out most beautiful moths.

The caterpillars main food source is willowherb, but they also love to munch on garden fuchsias.

Hope this helps!