Crawling along the fence rail under the willow, it’s a favourite place for them to be, along with poplar trees. When enraged this caterpillar rears up, shows its eyes and red head and shoots formic acid from glands behind its head at any predator. Love it’s stripey legs. It grows to 6cm before building a cacoon in which to overwinter and the moth emerges in May. The paddocks have dried out after the deluge with just a few puddles in the gateways. A cloudy start to a warm sunny day.
