Can you explain this web phenomenon?
Just a few days ago as we were travelling en route to a new location we came upon a curious phenomenon. A massive web enveloped several metres of hedgerow, spread over a mix of nettles and elder this curious structure seemed to have engulfed the plants beneath it.
It took us a while to work out what had created such a natural work of art.Ìý Now we've figured it out but what's your guess?
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Comment number 1.
At 10th Jun 2010, weechuff wrote:I don't know, but it this caused by some sort of caterpillar?
Weechuff
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Comment number 2.
At 10th Jun 2010, teamoose wrote:i think it's a caterpillar, don't know what of though. A similar sight has occurred in Battersea Park for the past 2 years, poss more; on a particular species of tree (I don't know that either - doh) the entire tree is engulfed in the silk of these caterpillars which are quite small and unremarkable looking . They strip the tree of all foliage but so far the tree has survived....i haven't given a precise answer there I know but that's it! loving the show by the way,Simon and Chris ROCK!!!
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Comment number 3.
At 10th Jun 2010, chris peck em wrote:Could be the webbing formed by ermine moth caterpillars
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Comment number 4.
At 10th Jun 2010, caro wrote:Someone's placed fleece over nettles to keep them clean of insects so that they can use the plants for soup, but the sun has melted it?
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Comment number 5.
At 10th Jun 2010, Wildlife Filmer Adam wrote:It is a kind of Caterpillar, I have the exact same thing one some bushes a couple of roads away from my house. It's some sort of like Silk Worm Caterpillar.
I will share pictures on the Springwatch Flickr group and put links on another post on this blog, soon.
:-)
Wildlife Filmer Adam
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Comment number 6.
At 10th Jun 2010, Wildlife Filmer Adam wrote:*on
P.S the pictures actually capture the Caterpillars going about their business and how they've spread over some bricks on a wall too.
Wildlife Filmer Adam
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Comment number 7.
At 10th Jun 2010, Liz Leyden wrote:One of the Ermine Moths, surely?
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Comment number 8.
At 10th Jun 2010, verreaux wrote:maybe caterpillars ?? :D think ive seen this before
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Comment number 9.
At 10th Jun 2010, cme1967 wrote:Silkworms? Never seen anything like it before so it's just a guess :-)
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Comment number 10.
At 10th Jun 2010, shanig wrote:This is what I was just commenting on before you showed it on TV (I live in Dorset ) I have noticed this phenomena is worse than last year. It must be a spider ???????
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Comment number 11.
At 10th Jun 2010, Carol Monger wrote:I saw this on alot of trees at the Falls of Clyde the other day, when I went to watch the Peregrin family.
We thought it was a disease...
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Comment number 12.
At 10th Jun 2010, jayanne1 wrote:I'm pretty sure it's a catapiller
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Comment number 13.
At 10th Jun 2010, mandy wrote:we think they are brown tailed moth catapiller, we actually have a hedge here with exactley the same. please dont touch because you can come out in a very nasty rash. Mandy and Pete dinnage
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Comment number 14.
At 10th Jun 2010, ALAN ELSBURY wrote:Brown Ermine Caterpillar - getting more and more in Wiltshire
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Comment number 15.
At 10th Jun 2010, auldhairy wrote:Ermine moth.
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Comment number 16.
At 10th Jun 2010, Andy Russell wrote:Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars live in small groups which form silken webs on large nettle patches in sunny, sheltered locations
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Comment number 17.
At 10th Jun 2010, vonnie79 wrote:caterpillars
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Comment number 18.
At 10th Jun 2010, Lisa wrote:think it is the ermin moth caterpillar web
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Comment number 19.
At 10th Jun 2010, MissNicole1994 wrote:i thought it was a silk worm. Well lots of silk worms :)
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Comment number 20.
At 10th Jun 2010, DaftDuck wrote:Kathryn (11) and James (9) insist its created by caterpillars but they don't know what type :-) Avid young "Springwatchers" though! Please keep up the excellent programmes.
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Comment number 21.
At 10th Jun 2010, casualtyofchocolate wrote:This is the nests of the caterpillars from the brown tailed moth. We found a similar set of nests near us at Hengistbury Head, literally thousands of caterpillars of all sizes feeding on the bushes.
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Comment number 22.
At 10th Jun 2010, Lins wrote:Hi I live in Dorset and the thing that causes this is the Spindle moth or Spindle Ermine Yponomeuta cagnagella which feeds on spindle hedges- looks very creepy -like lots of cobwebs!
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Comment number 23.
At 10th Jun 2010, Sue Howell wrote:I think this is caused by the ermine moth caterpillar!
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Comment number 24.
At 10th Jun 2010, Phil J wrote:Would silkworms make this?
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Comment number 25.
At 10th Jun 2010, vonster wrote:I was transported to my childhood...a bush up our road used to have a very similar thing happen and it was caterpillars...little black ones...by the hundreds!!!
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Comment number 26.
At 10th Jun 2010, Rullefr wrote:Hairy caterpillar, that walk in line nose to tail and I understand are quite an irritant if touched.
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Comment number 27.
At 10th Jun 2010, claireinpoole wrote:It is almost certainly the web created by the caterpilars of the Ermine Moth.
But it looks wonderfully spooky in monlight
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Comment number 28.
At 10th Jun 2010, whiskyman wrote:I think that it is the work of the ermine catapillar would not be sure.
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Comment number 29.
At 10th Jun 2010, jayne Cake wrote:I think it's the webbing caused by the Brown Tailed Moth
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Comment number 30.
At 10th Jun 2010, jillcox2 wrote:Yes its caterpillars, where my mum lives there is a small bush/tree just the same, quite amazing.
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Comment number 31.
At 10th Jun 2010, FoxyIV wrote:I'm sure it's a worm or caterpillar of some sort
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Comment number 32.
At 10th Jun 2010, Kez wrote:I just think Simon has sneezed!!!!!
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Comment number 33.
At 10th Jun 2010, Jennie James wrote:I think it's silk worm family that have been busy spinning!
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Comment number 34.
At 10th Jun 2010, wiltshirerosie wrote:It looks like Cuckoo spit on a grand scale.
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Comment number 35.
At 10th Jun 2010, mick wrote:I think it may be called a Tent Caterpillar
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Comment number 36.
At 10th Jun 2010, Susan wrote:I believe its made by the catterpillar of the ermine moth, and i have seen this in scheveningen in the netherlands, but never here - Its very pretty :)
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Comment number 37.
At 10th Jun 2010, slapheeed wrote:is it a Tent caterpillar?
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Comment number 38.
At 10th Jun 2010, BigDaddyRay wrote:We (Sue & I) think that it is Caterpillar silk
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Comment number 39.
At 10th Jun 2010, Jane Busby wrote:Ermine moth caterpillars - but we didn't know when we saw a similar sight near Bolney, West Sussex. It looked like one of those huge agricultural fleeces had blown off a field, but closer investigation showed the hedgerow absolutly teeming with little caterpillars. Thanks to Malcolm for helping solve our mystery
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Comment number 40.
At 10th Jun 2010, Denise wrote:Is it the Ermine moth catapillar.
Will Schofield
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Comment number 41.
At 10th Jun 2010, SueC wrote:Defoliating moth caterpillars
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Comment number 42.
At 10th Jun 2010, Steph Lincoln wrote:It's a Ermine Moth Caterpillar Web
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Comment number 43.
At 10th Jun 2010, abs29 wrote:Hi
My daughter & i think the odd web is from the catterpillar of the ermin moth. She hopes she's right!!
PS love the show
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Comment number 44.
At 10th Jun 2010, Brian wrote:they are moths... we have four trees covered from top to bottom.. in there webs
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Comment number 45.
At 10th Jun 2010, ellse wrote:I saw something similar in Botswana last year and was told it was spiders webs - could this be it?
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Comment number 46.
At 10th Jun 2010, daege wrote:I found a coccoon similar to this on my hawthorn and it was full of blackish caterpillars feeding on the leaves.
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Comment number 47.
At 10th Jun 2010, Ian C wrote:I'm pretty sure these are the webs made by the Lackey moth. But...many years ago when I lived in Northallerton our bhedges were covered by similar webs which turned out to be the Small Ermine, a micro-moth, I know because I kept some to maturity.
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Comment number 48.
At 10th Jun 2010, falconman wrote:its caterpillars, i live in dorset and see this every year
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Comment number 49.
At 10th Jun 2010, Gudrung wrote:yes simon it is the web of a lot of moth we had one a couple years ago
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Comment number 50.
At 10th Jun 2010, gossipinggannet wrote:We saw this or something similar last week on the Isle of Wight. It was full of small caterpillars. So we also suggest it is caterpillar silk.
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Comment number 51.
At 10th Jun 2010, Stephan Burgwal wrote:It should be 'Hyponomeuta padellus', here in The Netherlands in Rotterdam some cars were completely covered, see:
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Comment number 52.
At 10th Jun 2010, penger wrote:I think this is related to a book I was reading to my 5 year old tonight. I believe this is caused by catapillars and i think they are Peakcock as they are nettle loving catepillars. I will be really chuffed if this is the case as the book was great beats snow white and the seven dwarfs.
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Comment number 53.
At 10th Jun 2010, Jodie wrote:These are from bird cherry ermine moth caterpillars as I have just read in my local paper that in Sutton cemetery in southend they have covered almost a whole part of the cemetery.
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Comment number 54.
At 10th Jun 2010, mrsdhorn wrote:I think it is a webbermoth often found in hawthorn hedges or cotonester - my husband saw one in boston spa just the other day
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Comment number 55.
At 10th Jun 2010, Sandra Bryant wrote:We noticed this on holiday last week in Dorset. Some years ago in the Folkestone, Hythe and Romney Marsh area of Kent, we experienced something similar from the Brown tailed moth which invaded the area. I remember that some people suffered from an allergic reaction from them, if they came into close proximity, something to do with their hairs?
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Comment number 56.
At 10th Jun 2010, donna wrote:this is a brown tail moth nest
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Comment number 57.
At 10th Jun 2010, Beth wrote:Peacock or small tortois shell did this.
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Comment number 58.
At 10th Jun 2010, SheilaWS wrote:Some breed of caterpillar who weave these webs to prtect themselves from presdators whilst they feed
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Comment number 59.
At 10th Jun 2010, Isabel Carrahar wrote:I posted photos like this on flikr. I caught a small caterpillar on one of my photos. I think some sort of moth caterpillar caused this.
Isabel Carrahar
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Comment number 60.
At 10th Jun 2010, Gracie wrote:I think it is catipillar or silkworm
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Comment number 61.
At 10th Jun 2010, I_Love_Wildlife wrote:i believe its a catapilla??
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Comment number 62.
At 10th Jun 2010, Iainmac75 wrote:I believe Chris Blake is right and it is Ermine Caterpillars
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Comment number 63.
At 10th Jun 2010, Fluffy-G wrote:I believe it's the 'bird-cherry ermine moth caterpillar (Yponomeuta evonymella)'web'. Apparently the larvae ravenously feed on hedgerow foliage under the protection of the web until they drop to the ground to pupate. They remain there until they emerge as moths.
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Comment number 64.
At 10th Jun 2010, Sue Callaway wrote:This is known as the Blandford Fly - I remember news reports about this a few years ago in Dorset. The insect dessimates hedgerows. My husband has recently been working in Kings Somborne near Winchester and told me about htis strange sight there.
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Comment number 65.
At 10th Jun 2010, heavywrecker wrote:Ermine Moth Caterpillar, there are concerns that this damages Spindle berry bushes in the hedgerow. I've never seen this before here in Mid Sussex.
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Comment number 66.
At 10th Jun 2010, Mark wrote:Hi Simon
These are made by caterpillers. My partner came home after seeing a large web in the bushes saying there is a Tarantula nest and I must go and report it. I went with my 11 year old daugther elicia to investigate and it turned out to be a nest of a dosen or more black/brown caterpillers. These webs were scatter about but no where near the amount in your film.
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Comment number 67.
At 10th Jun 2010, COLIN HARRISON wrote:the mysterious web like material, is if i am right moth larvi, but which moth i do not know.
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Comment number 68.
At 10th Jun 2010, maisiemoo-MK wrote:I think this is caterpillar web created by the ermine caterpillar
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Comment number 69.
At 10th Jun 2010, Georgina wrote:I believe this is the same thing as we have had recently in a cemetary not far from where I live in Southend-on-Sea
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Comment number 70.
At 10th Jun 2010, Julie Nunn wrote:I think that this is the silk of a Tortoiseshell Butterfly, the stuff that protects their larvae while they pupate.
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Comment number 71.
At 10th Jun 2010, Torvic wrote:My daughter, who is nine, thinks it's silk worms. She has been studying them in the garden for days and found that their web or silk looks exactly like the ones on Simons pictures.
Mystery items. 1. could be a bird skeleton of some sort. 2. Tortoise egg shell. 3. Squid mouth part and suckers.
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Comment number 72.
At 10th Jun 2010, trace wrote:its a type of caterpillar but don't touch it as it gives you a very nasty rash or reaction !
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Comment number 73.
At 10th Jun 2010, Susan wrote:I think it is the butterfly eggs on nettles that have hatched and spun their cocoons. Thank you to all of Springwatch for the great program.
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Comment number 74.
At 10th Jun 2010, nettwork wrote:I agree with Chris Blake - Ermine mother caterpillar. Think it is also called a tent moth - for obvious reasons!
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Comment number 75.
At 10th Jun 2010, Louise Calder wrote:It is a massive larval web created by ermine moth caterpillars to protect them from birds and other predators. The web does not cause long term damage to the hedge although it does become defoliated due to the caterpillars feeding in their hundreds within the safety of the web.
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Comment number 76.
At 10th Jun 2010, betty wrote:Caterpillars
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Comment number 77.
At 10th Jun 2010, blueferret666 wrote:I've seen something very similar,and almost the same size, when i was a kid....in our orchard amongst the hawthorn/may hedgerow, and i think it's made by caterpillars. If i remember correctly the caterpillar's were stripey and hairy.
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Comment number 78.
At 10th Jun 2010, hyperthread wrote:Hi this is a catapillar possibly the Brown Tail Moth, we have had these at the Spurn Point nature reserve for several years, they are now expanding from here being seen several miles away.
Good program, enjoy it all,
Hollyblogg east yorkshire
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Comment number 79.
At 10th Jun 2010, steve21 wrote:i think it's cause buy a brown tailed moth ?
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Comment number 80.
At 10th Jun 2010, ALAN wrote:its an ermine catapiller web, it happens a lot around here. One in walton, near street in somerset. Can be regularly seen on the road from parrett works to south petherton, somerset. very eerie!
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Comment number 81.
At 10th Jun 2010, nicky wrote:i also have taken photos of these cobwebs along the hedgerows, however they only covered one side of hedge, and intermitent along the hedge. I wondered if they were made by moths?
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Comment number 82.
At 10th Jun 2010, Anne-Laure wrote:Moths. I've seen comment about Hermine moths?? I don't know but moths definitely. Around in Oxford we have it in patchy ways, it looks funny, people often think they are spiders... I'd be worried if spiders webbed things that thick here... can they?
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Comment number 83.
At 10th Jun 2010, Helen wrote:My son Joseph, who is ten, thinks that the webs are made by silk worm caterpillars.
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Comment number 84.
At 10th Jun 2010, Annette wrote:I'm not sure what the phenomena is but it does look quite alien. There is one on the A64 in North Yorkshire between York and Scarborough.
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Comment number 85.
At 10th Jun 2010, Steve Hotham wrote:I think it is the Brown-Tail Moth
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Comment number 86.
At 10th Jun 2010, Uncle Buck wrote:The thing Simon showed us was the result of the caterpillar of a moth. It decimates a certain tree. The leaf's are stripped bare.
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Comment number 87.
At 10th Jun 2010, lizcress wrote:I have seen this befoe and it is caterpillars a huge group that eat all the plants underneaf the protective silk webs
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Comment number 88.
At 10th Jun 2010, hazzie123 wrote:Could be a spindle moth - we had them on a tree in my town - until the
council decided to chop it down because they didnt want them there. They've been here several times.
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Comment number 89.
At 10th Jun 2010, LISBURN_MARTIN wrote:Hedge thing...has to be Hawthorne eating catepillar...prob a Moth Larve.
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Comment number 90.
At 10th Jun 2010, Jack Grimshaw wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 91.
At 10th Jun 2010, Hades wrote:Its ermine moth caterpillars the spin the web and then in silk web pockets the cocoon themselves
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Comment number 92.
At 10th Jun 2010, DavidOldChap wrote:For the last two years this hedge plague has been rapidly increasing in the lanes of Herefodshire. I wrote to several 'expert bodies' and all gve me different causes. But Defra wrote the following:
From your description, I believe that you are referring to a species of caterpillar which is the larvae of the Lackey moth (Malacosoma Neustria). They are known as ‘tent caterpillars’ and are common in England.
The caterpillars feed in communal webs on low shrubs and sometimes trees, and are commonly found in suburban hedges and planting schemes.
You do not need to notify anyone of the presence of Lackey moths.
David Morgan
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Comment number 93.
At 10th Jun 2010, Jean Evans wrote:Web made by ermine moth. jean Evans North walea
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Comment number 94.
At 10th Jun 2010, Jemima wrote:Spindle ermine moth caterpillars I reckon.
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Comment number 95.
At 10th Jun 2010, Mark and Jo mclean wrote:Is it the world's biggest ever spider sneeze?
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Comment number 96.
At 10th Jun 2010, Lunerat wrote:It's the larva of the ermine moth, we saw them last week on a walk from Sedbergh to Kirby Lonsdale.
We really enjoy the show, keep up the good work.
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Comment number 97.
At 10th Jun 2010, david lewis wrote:My 9 year old son Callum Lewis from Crynant in Neath, South Wales thinks it the web of caterpillers that Simon as asked to identify. keep up the good work this years show is the best yet.
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Comment number 98.
At 10th Jun 2010, bill chalk wrote:simons phenomenon is from the ermine moth caterpillar which is also quite abundant around west sussex at the moment
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Comment number 99.
At 10th Jun 2010, CharlieRobinsons wrote:Could be Tunnel Web Spider(s)??
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Comment number 100.
At 10th Jun 2010, Trudie C wrote:Is it maybe a giant web from spindle ermine larvae?
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