Spooky!

Spooky webs, and it’s not yet Halloween!

No Sit and Be Fit today so I joined two friends from the class, for a walk.
We stopped half way for a coffee at Oakwell Hall, which is where I saw this tree, looking as if it was trimmed up for Halloween.

The ‘ webs’ are actually communal nests built by the Bird Cherry Ermine Moth caterpillars.Hundreds and sometimes thousands.
These caterpillars spin the webs as protection from predators, and live in while they consume the tree’s leaves. 
The webs are a natural part of the caterpillars’ life cycle and do not harm the trees in the long run. The trees usually recover and the webs disappear by late June.
So while they look spooky now, it’s just nature doing its thing.
Certainly no leaves left on this tree, and I noticed several more in other parts of the grounds.

Thank you for letting me know that yesterday’s butterfly was a Painted Lady. I didn’t recognise it as most of the paint had rubbed off!
I haven’t seen one in the garden for a few years. 

We had an interesting wine tasting last night, of Swiss wines. 
Not too keen on the venue which was Friends of Ham in Leeds.
Thought the platter of cheese ( just two) and meats ( three different ones)  a couple of olives, a few gherkins and some bread for two of us to share,£27. was expensive. We have had much better platters for less money elsewhere.
Won’t be going back.
Then the bus was cancelled and as there is only one an hour after 6pm, we got a taxi home. So it turned out to be an expensive evening!
However despite this we really enjoyed ourselves.
( which is a good job!)