A TEN year-old has found not one, but two of the largest and rarest caterpillars in the UK in her Wiveliscmobe garden.

Evelyn Cherry discovered the colourful creatures on her garden patio one week apart from each other, and is now keeping them in a box with soil and Buddleia leaves as food.

After doing some research into the 12cm long caterpillars, Evelyn found that they are Death's-head Hawkmoth larva, more specifically Acherontia atropos.

Evelyn said: "My family have never seen anything like this before and the size and colour of the caterpillars was overwhelming.

"We have put both caterpillars into a plastic container filled with soil and some Buddleia leaves as food."

The larva's unusual name originates from the skull shaped markings on their thorax. When disturbed they emit a high pitched squeak and can even create a perfume that smells like a bee. They then use this to steal honey from bee hives and this tricks the bee into thinking it is the queen.

Once evolved, the moth's wingspan can reach 13.5 cm wide.

Evelyn added: "I have discovered that they feed most commonly on potato leaves, privet and deadly nightshade but we have none of these in our garden and are struggling to identify what the caterpillars have been eating.

"One of the caterpillars has already begun to pupate and the other has burrowed down into the soil ready for this process to begin.

"We are hoping that they will complete the pupal stage over the next two weeks and transform into giant moths."