This extraordinary scrap of life was slowly traversing the path.
It seemed to be a cross between a feather duster and a plastic cat toy: a pulsating gobbit of implausible life. The photo shows the pink tufts and psychedelic green body, but it does not show the strange black winking eye on its back. The eye appeared to open and close as the caterpillar squeezed along and no doubt this was evolved to frighten away a hungry bird. The bright hairs are to make the caterpillar inedible, if the winking eye was not enough to keep it safe through the winter.
Should this fearsome tiny fright makes it to spring time, it will be a pale tussock moth, grey and furry and quite unlike this wonderful punk adolescent caterpillar phase caught indignantly crossing the path this cold afternoon.
Cathy's real country garden 
absolutely fascinating and evocatively described; as my granddaddy would say, ‘Gor, Ain’t nature wonderful’? 🙂
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Ain’t it though! 🐛
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Hi Cathy I enjoy your blogs but they go to an old email of mine which is probably likened to my own wordpress blog – I have no idea how to change any of that but if there is a way you can send notifications to the above email I will get them as they often don’t reach the old one! Kind wishes Maria
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Oh the horror of technology that briefly makes things better and then squeezes us onto a hamster wheel of worse and worse ! I don’t know how to solve this problem. Try switching it off and on! Sign up to WordPress a new?
It is very sweet that you want to read my ephemeral nonsense, tell me if anything works!
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I think you have to unfollow and then re-subscribe.
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The tussock moth caterpillars are very appealing (to us that is!). The moth is beautiful too, she’s not only fluffy but got curls on her back! Amelia
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I have learned to look for the adults in the spring but am only just realising that they exist in some vulnerable form all year round.
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It is nice to think of them around you all the time.
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Wonderful pictures, the caterpillar is especially interesting.
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It looked utterly unreal to me, but it wriggled and blinked so it must have been alive!xx
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Wonderful!
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What a superb creature! Nature has a way of protecting itself
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I don’t find enough caterpillars but I am working on being more observant! 🐛🐛
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