A Rainy Day

It has been a wet day at Foxglove today. Although this meant it wasn’t a nice day for being out and about on the reserve, the last few weeks have been so dry that the plants and trees will appreciated a drink. The Bird-Cherry Ermine moth caterpillars were particularly noticeable today, living inside their cottony webs that protect them from predators. The webs also appeared to act as a fairly effective umbrella and the caterpillars could be seen feeding away, quite dry, inside. These caterpillars will form little white chrysalises in the Bird-Cherry trees, before hatching out into small white moths later in the year.

Despite the weather, several families still braved the elements to visit the reserve, donning wellies and waterproofs for a walk out, and then returning to the Field Centre to watch the birds on the feeders from the comfort of the classroom and enjoy the indoor activity sheets and displays. Those who did venture out found that there is still always something to see, with mallards, tufted ducks and moorhens on the lake, and even the more inconspicuous plants looking quite pretty when covered in raindrops.