[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Whilst out trying to obtain a nice photo of the Cuillin Hills, we had to cross a stream and half way across it I came across this monster caterpillar on a rock. It was huge and very fat being about 10cm long and about 1cm thick, but it was the colouring that got me... I was also trying to work out why it wanted to cross the stream - at least I had a reason!
So balancing carefully with a foot on a slippy rock, another in the water and my left hand also in the water trying to stabilise myself, I tried to get a picture of this 'monster' and he was surprisingly large.
The white stuff at the bottom of the picture is actually water...
So what it is. Well it is an emperor moth caterpillar (Pavonia pavonia) at its final stage of growth (or a 5th stage instar larva).
Ref: img 9441
Location: Glen Brittle, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Photographer: Emma Taylor