Privet hawk moth catterpillar

Description:

Large catterpillar (~8cm long), light green, with diagonal white and pink stripes along both sides of the body. Black and yellow spike on the back.

Habitat:

Feeds on privets, as well as ash trees, lilacs, jasmine, and a number of other plants. Found it in my garden.

Notes:

Larvae are usually found between July and August and bury themselves in the earth when preparing to become a pupa. They then fly in the following June. This one was moving very fast before I touched it to get some photos. It plays dead for a while, then it tried to burrow very fast to escape the photo session :)