Hungry caterpillars return and cover roundabout in stunning silk - again
Thousands of hungry caterpillars have returned to munch on their favourite Shropshire hedgerow in what is a spectacular sight for passing Salopians.
Anyone who has visited the Meole Brace Retail Park in Shrewsbury over the last few days will have seen the incredible spectacle of a roundabout almost entirely covered in what appears – at first glance – to be mountains of spider web.
But, it's actually the work of thousands of busy caterpillars, who have returned to the same spot where they captivated Shrewsbury residents back in 2021.
Visitors to the retail park over the last few days have been stopping to take pictures and videos of the silk web to post on social media.
Speaking back in 2021, John Hughes, development manager at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said the occurrence is not as uncommon as people may assume.
The covering is essentially copious layers of silk which are spun by caterpillars to give themselves – and their food source – protection from predators, before they hatch into Ermine moths.
He said: "Classically you get this on hedgerows and you will get great lengths of hedgerow covered in what is in effect silk.
"They spin this web to give themselves protection and underneath the web they are chomping away on leaves and whatever. In a few days they will hatch out and fly off and the web will disintegrate fairly quickly.
"It is quite common but spectacular, particularly when it covers a big area.
"It is completely harmless - unless you're a shrub, in which case you are getting eaten.
"Moths and plants have evolved together over history and various moth caterpillars will eat the leaves but the leaves will grow back – it is no different to pruning roses, you prune the roses and they grow back perfectly fine."
