Buff

I am guilty of kidnapping! Yes I confess all!

Yesterday I spotted a couple of these Buff tip large 3" long caterpillars in and amongst the leaves of the beech hedge - wow are they colourful! Knowing time would be of the essence as Tammy wanted the camera today, I knew I would have to get sorted pretty quickly with my blip! I needed a plan! I also found what I think are their egg shells.

I felt no guilty pang as I popped them into a plastic take-away box after piercing some holes in the lid - in too went their breakfast; some nice fresh beech leaves. These are the caterpillars of the night flying Buff tip moth which looks like the bark of a tree, with wing tips of a buff colour that resemble broken twigs. A master of disguise!

My plan worked as in the morning I carefully placed them back at camera level, (no rolling round on the floor getting soaked for me today in the name of blip) banged on the ring-flash and hey presto!

These caterpillars can cause serious damage to the foliage of numerous trees and it was amazing how many leaves had been eaten just overnight in their B&B. They will burrow in the soil in order to pupate usually below their food tree! Am now thinking I might go round again with my box, collect them all and put them somewhere else!
Got to be viewed in large .....