Absolum - found in my garden
By Faye
@FayeHazel (40248)
United States
July 23, 2018 12:16pm CST
A few weeks ago I found this interesting looking chap in my garden. Needless to say I didn't hoe up that weed it was sitting on. I didn't want to disturb this large caterpillar. Well, that and I didn't want to take the chance that the thing could jump or bite, either, lol!
I named it Absolum.
A little research has me wondering if it's the caterpillar of the Sphinx Moth. For those who don't know - this is a moth with a large body - it looks, and flies, like a hummingbird. The first time I saw one I thought it was very disturbing... but I don't know why I would think that. After all, it is just a moth and not going to hurt anyone.
Anyway, good luck Absolum with whatever it is you turn into. Thank you for choosing my garden.
Have you seen anything similar?
Photo: Mine
22 people like this
25 responses
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Oh oh. Do the tomato worms eat tomatos?
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
I love that neon green and yellow eye spots
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@just4him (306049)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
26 Jul 18
@FayeHazel Yes, it's very pretty.
1 person likes this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
24 Jul 18
@FayeHazel I looked it up out of curiousity and I think you are right. Let's hope so. 
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
I'm happy ti wasn't a hornworm, those sound destructive.... I think it's a "shinx" moth sometimes called hummingbird moth. While they creep me out - lol - they are actually a benefit because they pollinate
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
@peavey Ah yes, better a creepy bird moth than something destructive :-)
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Ah you got me - Absolum (not sure spelling) -- was the hookah smoking caterpillar in "Alice in Wonderland" - the movie with Johnny Depp. (I don't think the caterpillar was named in the book or cartoon)
@DianneN (246710)
• United States
24 Jul 18
@FayeHazel The butterflies have been out like crazy! lol
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
25 Jul 18
@DianneN I love that! They're like flying flowers
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Lol, quite alright too. I hope you see butterflies
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@oahuwriter (26780)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Haven't seen any caterpillars that looks like Absolum here in Hawaii. We just have caterpillars that creates monarch butterflies. Maybe an entomologist can help you that works for the government. I needed to know what a plant was and couldn't find it with my online research, so I contacted the Botanical Garden locally. They were very helpful and I could post about the beautiful plant. Good luck in finding out what Absolum is.
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
25 Jul 18
@oahuwriter I find that so interesting in the more temperate climates. When I was in Las Vegas - I was surprised at the number of palm trees in the area, because Vegas is in the middle of a desert. Then it made sense. The trees weren't natural. They were planned and cultivated to be there.
That blue and black moth sounds amazing! Must have been beautiful. I don't know how the moth generations work. Is it how many hatchings are within a year?
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Oh wow! Hawaii. I imagine you have a lot of cool flora and fauna.
Good thought with the entomologist.
After some researching I think Absolum is a Sphinx Moth caterpillar -
Or as I call them - "Hummingbird moth"
https://naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/7-24-10-gallium-sphinx-moth-img_2987.jpg
1 person likes this
@oahuwriter (26780)
• United States
25 Jul 18
@FayeHazel
Where I live, urban setting with planned plant life. Interesting little Absolum & sure is huge. I see yellow butterflies, but haven't seen any new caterpillars. Ladybugs got fewer as I got older too. You know what... once I saw a gigantic black moth with blue rings on it's wings. I didn't have a smartphone then & no librarian around too, for I saw it land on the cement area atop glass doors which are located as you exit the courtyard to enter the library. This moth had to be at least 6" x 6". I stood there for a minute, no one at all came by! I don't know what kind of month it was. My research found it could be a second generation of moth hence it's size.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
23 Jul 18
He's pretty! I have seen lots of caterpillars in my lifetime. Are there caterpillars that jump or bite?
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
I love those round dots. Ah I don't know. TO be honest I don't think any caterpillar jump, or bite, but.... I saw no reason to take the risk lol
1 person likes this
@much2say (53960)
• Los Angeles, California
23 Jul 18
That's a cool lookin' guy! I know what you mean by "disturbing" . . . if it's the kind of moth I'm thinking of, they have eyes like a bird . . . they look like some bird/moth hybrid! You have Absolum - we have Green Leaper (or that's what the kids call him).
1 person likes this
@much2say (53960)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Jul 18
@FayeHazel Caterpillars can be cute. They don't fly or jump on you! Green Leaper is what we called the baby grasshopper that came to live in my little garden. He was super teeny, but now he is over an inch long - he got BIG and is still growing. I believe he will just stay a grasshopper . . . he behaves 
.
.1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
31 Jul 18
@much2say Lol. I didn't think so, but I saw no reason to take a chance, lol. True, a grasshopper is a leaper, I like that lol. As long as he doesn't take a bite out of you... :-)
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
I think I honestly like Absolum better in Caterpillar form lol. Yeah! I think that's the one. It has a large hairy body and it's wings move fast, like a hummingbird.
Green leapers huh? What do they turn into?
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Lol, oh dear. I find them pretty, but creepy at the same time
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@Ronrybs (17849)
• London, England
25 Jul 18
@FayeHazel It is rather amazing from a stout, crawlie, eating machine to a delicate flying painting
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
26 Jul 18
@Ronrybs Good description. I've often wondered, so then - the catarpiller must have undeveloped wings inside itself? Weird....
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
I think so, too, the whole transformative process
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@JustBhem (70555)
• Davao, Philippines
25 Jul 18
@FayeHazel
Yes, because I remember him when he was still a caterpillar. Lol
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
25 Jul 18
@JustBhem Lol, he was one of my favorites
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Ah yes, you figured me out there :-)
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@responsiveme (22926)
• India
23 Jul 18
Absolum was lucky to be in your garden and christened instead of being dug up.
I have seen green caterpillars but A is big
Sending you a pic of his cousin from a garden in the north east part of India.
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@responsiveme (22926)
• India
25 Jul 18
@FayeHazel that will be an Eri moth.am making it my next discussion soon
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
25 Jul 18
@responsiveme Oh cool! I will look forward to reading about it. Please tag me incase I don't see
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Wow cool! Thanks for the photo. That's amazing. Do you know what that one turns into? I know, it's a thing now when I see a caterpillar - I wish it good luck on it's transforming now :-)
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@Lignitecityabishek96 (7110)
• Cuddalore, India
23 Jul 18
I can remember caterpillar during my 4 th standard when we catch it for a science teacher.
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Oh wow, it was a school assignment? How fun!
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@Lignitecityabishek96 (7110)
• Cuddalore, India
25 Jul 18
@FayeHazel it's not like an assignment. just for fun, we did that.
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@arunima25 (85269)
• Bangalore, India
24 Jul 18
It is a lovely picture!! The last caterpillar I saw was last week in the sand pit of our school. One child found it and the whole class gathered around it. It must have come from the nearby garden and got so many eyeballs in the sand pit play.
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
That caterpillar you saw had quite the amount of fans! :-)
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@GardenGerty (157545)
• United States
23 Jul 18
To me he looked like a hornworm at first. I hope not. I guess you shall see what he will be.
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@ptrikha_2 (45463)
• India
24 Jul 18
Quite an interesting creature. So is this one a regular visitor to your garden now?
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Ah als only saw it the once. I wonder if its turned into a moth now?
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
24 Jul 18
Good point, they are probably hungry critters
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@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
7 Aug 18
Sure is pretty with those eyes like that
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