Grey Dagger Moth Caterpillar

I was surprised to see this. Not only was it late in the season but I found it in our kitchen and, most surprising of all, it was on my hand.

We had experienced days and nights of almost continuous rain. I was helping to prepare the evening meal when was tempted by the arrival of early evening sunshine. For the first time in days, I went out without a coat but wearing a thin jumper. I took a brief walk around the garden, taking a look at places where I find macro subjects. Not wearing a coat, I avoided contact with the dripping wet foliage.

Ten minutes or so later, I felt a tickle on the back of my hand and looked down to see the caterpillar crawling from my sleeve.

I took it outside and placed on the nearest leaves and took some photos then I put it down amongst mixed vegetation. I had to put it in the shade to shelter it from a gusty breeze.

The last image shows it being cryptic next to a shrunken blackberry.

Sometimes the orange lateral marks are red and/or the dorsal stripe is yellow.

Olympus EM-1, (aperture priority), Olympus 4/3 50mm f2 macro, the first 1/25 at f9 then 1/50 at f7.1 ISO 800, hand-held.

Harold