We noticed this caterpillar on a dead stick that was marking where we had planted an Alder sapling. Identified on the Wildlife Trusts website the Drinker Moth Caterpillar is distinguishable by the row of white hairs running down either side of its body, a ridge of tufts along its back and ‘horns’ at each end. It feeds on grasses and reeds and therefore lives in “damp grassland, marshes and boggy areas”. This little chap hibernated over the winter as a partially-grown caterpillar, woke up in the Spring and carried on growing. It will be fully-grown this month – up to 7cm in length and will turn into a large moth the colour of an old cork. That’s not why it’s called the Drinker Moth, though. It’s because the caterpillar drinks drops of dew from grass stems.
Blog note: I am disappointed that the first three scheduled posts have appeared on the blog with identical pictures. I’m either doing something wrong or there is a glitch on the site or with the software. We’re going away for a week and after a photography bonanza in the meadow, I have scheduled a week of posts, none of which are going to feature a striking picture of the subject matter. I don’t have time to sort this out now.