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The Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) has one of the largest caterpillars of any butterfly or moth in Britain, but the imago (adult or flying stage) is considerably smaller than many other Hawk-moths.
The imago has striking markings (see SP9211 : Elephant Hawk Moth - Imago - Top view) which are simultaneously subtle yet vivid. The underside of its body is bright pink which is echoed less vividly as stripes on the otherwise olive-green wings. The upper side of its body and its head are similarly marked to its wings.
The large (long and fat) olive-brown caterpillar (see TG1312 : Elephant Hawk moth (Deilephila elpenor) larva) has an extensible "trunk" to its head which has given the moth its name - or some suggest that the whole caterpillar resembles an elephant's trunk. The caterpillar feeds mostly on the common and widespread plant, rosebay willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium), but also on other plants as well, in particular, bedstraw (Galium spp.)
The adult (imago) feeds on the nectar of various flowering plants such as honeysuckle.
There is a slightly smaller, but very similar moth, unsurprisingly called the "Small Elephant Hawk-moth" (Deilephila porcellus) which has a uniformly pink head rather than pink stripes on green that are evident on its larger cousin - its wingspan is c.40-45mm compared to the 45-60mm of elpenor.
For more information on these species see:
Elephant Hawkmoth (D. elpenor) Link
Small Elephant Hawkmoth (D. porcellus) Link