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Search forNew pet is one of Europe's rarest caterpillars
Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 17:00
Paul, 38, who works for Taylors Service Centre in Great Dunmow, rushed to his sister's house in nearby Rayne when she telephoned to say she had found the monster caterpillar on a jasmine bush in her front garden.
Realising that they had found something unusual, Paul, pictured right, contacted Essex-based moth expert David Allen, who confirmed that he had discovered one of Europe's rarest caterpillars.
"When I heard that Paul had found an unusual caterpillar, I had to go and see it for myself to establish exactly what he had," said David. "When one of these was found in Southend a few years ago, people came from all over the country to see it."
The gruesome name comes from the unique pattern on the back of the adult moth's head, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a human skull. Apart from being extremely rare, the death's-head hawk moth was made famous by the Silence of the Lambs movie.
David added: "I'd never actually seen a death's-head hawk moth before – they are that rare. His mother probably flew over from France."
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