Catterpillar or moth?

[David oakman]

Any ideas anyone on what this is in a cricket bat willow?

[gibbon]

Wow good eyes! Looks like a catapillar. Did you not catch it to take a better look?

[porky]

Is it a key?

 

Took me a while to see it but it maybe an elephant hawk moth caterpillar?

[slack ma girdle]

If it is still on the tree, give it a gentle prod, if it: rears up, retracts its head and sways menacingly, then it is probably an elephant hawk moth. However it does look more like a convolvulus hawk moth. the difference between the two is that the elephant hawk moth has two large eye spots just behing the head.

Dont ask how i know,

 

Slack ma girdle

i can spot a tree at 100 yards

[nepia]

...Not Elephant; used to breed them as a kid, both species. Wouldn't know about the other suggestion though. Will try to find references later.