Until July 2017, documenting the seasons of coastal Dorset. I'm a complete amateur so don't trust I'm always right. If ever you see I'm wrong - whether with identifications or in anything else - do say! Meanwhile . . . I've now moved to Halifax in West Yorkshire. Click on the link below to collect the new URL. Don't forget to follow there!

Monday 16 May 2011

A WALK TO THE SEA AND BACK

April 27th 2011
At the end of April, I found a Lackey Moth nursery in a blackthorn bush. I'm not sure whether I like it or not. It's an extraordinary, construction - a kind of sealed over hammock made of a white material that's like spider-web. 


April 27th 2011




Inside - and venturing onto the outside too, the larvae.

May 15th 2011



Yesterday (May 15th 2011) I went to see what had happened. Life seemed to have stopped. But see the sloes? (The fruit of blackthorn.) At the moment, they are small and green. They never grow large but, by the berry season, they will be black.

No just going-home. What else to see?






All along the way, tall plants with white umbels.





And, opposite, a little path leading down to a little beach. (We've been here before.)


The bushes and undergrowth are making it a narrow way.


Then it opens out, you turn to the right and there . . .


This!


Where, in the rocks, we can't miss the millennia.






Pause, turn, walk back through the gap between the bank and the rocks








Where there's a thistle-type plant beside the way



And homewards past the teasels.


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a lovely walk. I noticed something similar to your moth web but in an ornamental plum tree, I shall have to check to see what emerges.

Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax! said...

That's interesting because Blackthorn, along with plums, is part of the prunus family. Indeed, the leaves are very plum-like and the fruits are like mini-damsons (except the flavour - to eat one would be to take every bit of moisture out of your body in a fraction of a second).

Lucy

Donna said...

What a lovely walk to the sea...how nice to be so close

Rowan said...

That's a nice walk to have close to home and not a soul in sight on the beach:)

Laura Bloomsbury said...

Loved the walk and especially your observations Anna - but wanted to go on once we'd reached the beach. Your narration is so real-time - with the walkers gaze caught up by each passing this and that.
Laura

Bridget said...

Have'nt seen one of those Moth nurseries for years. Once again beautiful pics.

Dimple said...

I am curious about the circular imprints/fossils in the rock...Do you know what made them?

It was a lovely walk, thanks for inviting me along!

Sue Catmint said...

Wonderfully enjoyable walk - I wish vicarious walks like this would help me to be fit. I love the caterpillar and larva pic - I have a horrible fascination for larva. And fossils(but not horrible because they don't creep like larva.)lol

AnneG said...

I wanted to thank you for showing the photos of the Lackey Moth caterpillars at different stages.

I've been searching everywhere to ID the newly emerged versions I photographed a couple of months ago and your blog is the first place I've found good shots of them at different stages.

A good read too. :o)

Kitchen Benchtops said...

Excellent details and wonderful view! Very well captured