giant chrysalis

[stigoftheplot]

I've recently dug up a giant chrysalis & I wondered if anyone knows what it is. It's just like the little reddish ones but brown but that could be due to the fact it's obviously dead. Anyway it's about 2 inches long and thicker than a pencil. Any one out there up on such things?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Cock chafer grub? They are pretty massive as adult beetles...

[smallblueplanet]

Post a picture?

It might not be dead, put it under some leaves or suchlike out the way somewhere away from your veggies?

[stigoftheplot]

pretty sure it is dead. I brought it in so it'd wiggle in the warmth but nothing. Also looks like end has slight crack in it. I think it must be a moth as it's so large and some moths like privet hawk are huge. Its definately bigger than a chafer grub & looks just like the normal crysalis but really big & brown.

[Seahorse]

Elephant Hawk Moth?

http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/piclib/webim.../44168_sml.jpg

I haven't seen a chrysalis in real life but had a humungous EHM caterpillar in my garden last year!

[Polly Fouracre]

Elephant Hawk Moth?

http://piclib.nhm.ac.uk/piclib/webim.../44168_sml.jpg

I haven't seen a chrysalis in real life but had a humungous EHM caterpillar in my garden last year!

Chatting to my niece last year as she was digging up some spuds,we were amazed to see two Elephant Hawk moths,wings still crumpled,scramble up from the ground and scuttle off to hide under a brocoli plant.Went out later in moonlight to see them fly off but they had already gone!
A lovely surprise though!