I recently found a caterpillar of the Eyed hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellatus). This beautiful, well hidden caterpillar brought up childhood memories.
As a small kid I once found an egg on the under side of a willow leaf. I managed to turn that tiny egg to a beautiful Eyed hawk-moth, through the entire metamorphosis.
Here’s a couple photos of the caterpillar. I tried to get shots from different distances, for those interested in learning how to spot caterpillars in the wild. Personally, I like photos that show not only the caterpillar but also the plants and surrounding.