Not everyone's a fan of creepy crawlies. But the latest visitor to our offices won a few hearts.
Site Manager, Keith Clarkson, discovered a large caterpillar on one of the reserve's paths and immediately reverted to his 10 year old self and popped it in a matchbox.
Whizzing back to the office, he confirmed his suspicion that it was a drinker - so named because it is apparently partial to drinking drops of dew.
Keith reckons that the caterpillar was looking for a place to pupate and come July/August there will be a fully formed drinker moth in its place. (Ain't nature amazing?)
After briefly checking that our health and safety proceduces were in order, the drinker left the office In a rather more spacious container than he arrived in (tupperware food box) and was returned to the reserve to let nature take its course.
The drinker caterpillar studies the RSPB rules on risk assessment.
The impressive drinker moth. Photo: GrahamC RSPB Community