The bright dramatic look of this hog moth caterpillar will drastically change when it turns into a "dull greyish colour moth" according to Kevin Monkman.

Mr. Monkman the director of TCD is an entomologist and was able to solve the questions in the newsroom on the identity of the brilliantly coloured slug.

Penny Terciera of Mrs. T's Tea Room called The Gazette to report "very very large caterpillars" on her Frangipani tree.

"We noticed them on Sunday," she said. "There are at least half a dozen on the tree they are spread out all over it but pretty much in the same spot."

Mrs. Terciera said she had not noticed the creatures devouring many leaves but admitted that they were eating. Asked if she was concerned about them decimating the tree she said no. And she said she was not trying to kill them either.

"They're too big," she said." They are about eight inches long and really thick! About as thick as at least your pinkie finger - no- your middle finger, they are fat. There'd be a pretty big mess if you stepped on one or smashed it."

Mrs. Terciera also said she was weary not to touch the caterpillars because she was not familiar with them although the tree has been in the yard for more than forty years.

"I have never seen them before. They are really something to see. Everyone that has come and seen them at least 20 or 40 people have said the same thing," she added.

Mr. Monkman last night confirmed that the caterpillars, also called Sphynx moth, are "somewhat rare".

"We see them every couple of years and they eat Frangipani leaves," he said.

"Then they fall to the ground and pupate and emerge to quite a large moth with a wing span of about five inches. They are a dull greyish colour moth quite different from their look as a caterpillar," he said.