Caterpillar Tents

I was out in the fields at lunchtime today. It was quiet, and apart from a few house martins and one uncooperative jay I saw little that made me reach for the camera. Little that is, until I noticed something odd on one of the hawthorn bushes on the boundary between two areas of grazing.

I've not seen these before, but they were oddly beautiful in the cool light.

Brown tail moth caterpillar tent

From what I've been able to discover this evening, they are caterpillar tents. Probably of the brown-tail moth caterpillar. The tents provide protection over winter, but the caterpillars are also known to be highly irritant (they are the ones that cause a plague of rashes over the summer months) and protective clothing is necessary for any attempts to remove them.

I may try to get some better shots, but taking obvious care now I know what I'm looking at.

On a slightly different note, here's a shot of a rabbit seen early this morning. A classic pose!

Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.

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This Post Has 15 Comments

  1. RobinL

    29 Sep 2009

    We have Tent Caterpillars across the country here. They are quite common. They feed off decidious trees, mostly poplar and such. I've seen huge masses of them, which become very destructive. The moths are described as being stout and brownish in colour. They are called Tent Caterpillar Moths. Go figure!

  2. gdare

    29 Sep 2009

    That rabbit is watching you 😀

  3. SittingFox

    29 Sep 2009

    That's interesting – I didn't know we had caterpillar tents in the UK. I've seen them in the prairies.

  4. Ukwildlife

    29 Sep 2009

    Nice find. We had some of those on the hawthorn that covers most of wat tyler park – and I found a full grown caterpiller last week to boot.

    Nice rabbit pic too

  5. Words

    29 Sep 2009

    Neil, they're interesting constructions. I'm still trying to get a definitive i.d. on the caterpillars themselves.

  6. Words

    29 Sep 2009

    Robin, I think these are becoming more common, but it's the first time I can recall seeing them (more down to my lack of observation in the past, than anything else). Love the name of yours!

  7. Words

    29 Sep 2009

    Oh, and I'm 99.9% certain these are 'brown tail' moth caterpillars having had another look today.

  8. Words

    29 Sep 2009

    Darko, she sure is but she thinks I can't see her 😉

  9. Words

    29 Sep 2009

    Adele, apparently these are quite widespread now. Lots of reports along the A27, and numerous councils now have information about them.

  11. Words

    30 Sep 2009

    Thanks for that info Cynthia. We get occasional 'plagues' of them in summer. This nest is well away from people at least.

  12. Flying Red Fox Blog

    30 Sep 2009

    Very interesting, i didnt know they were irritant, better not touch them then. 😛 Lovelly shot of the Rabbit :yes:

  13. Words

    1 Oct 2009

    Mark, definitely one to avoid touching. Not good to breath too close to them either. Well, I guess you have to breath (difficult not to). They are mainly a problem in spring/summer (those big hairy caterpillars that always make it into the newspapers.).

  14. Bobfisher08

    1 Oct 2009

    hey, i love this rabbit. Always run faster in the landscapes and always so curious. Beauty picture.

    Greetings.

  15. Words

    1 Oct 2009

    Thanks Bob!

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