Guest posters

Nature is famously red in tooth and claw, for all the sentimental guff which has poured forth about cuddly animals over the centuries. Here is an example, courtesy of my younger sister, who came across this unhappy end for a caterpillar at the hands (or mandibles and maybe sting) of a wasp. Since it the offspring of a 'Cabbage' White butterfly and was busily eating her brassicas, she was unmoved by its fate which was probably better anyway than the effects of spray. RIP.

She has also been keeping a lookout for other small-sized wildlife and was rewarded by discovering this plump Eyed Hawk Moth caterpillar, below, trundling along a road near Bradford in Yorkshire.  (See also Update, below). I am hoping that my Poplar Hawk cattie - still thriving - will reach this impressive state before burrowing underground to pupate.

Update: my sister has kindly sent an even better pic of this luscious beast and specifies that it was sauntering along a path in Northcliffe Park, Shipley (West Yorkshire).  I wish that I had been there.

Finally for today, regular readers will already know of Penny's hawkeye reputation for spotting moths in our house, as opposed to in the light trap. Now she has become a Butterfly Charmer as well. I never need any excuse to post a picture of a Red Admiral, as I did a couple of days ago. But this one appeals particularly. It visited P and some friends while they were playing tennis and, after initially fluttering away when they went to admire, settled on her blue fleece and refused to move.