Processionary Bag-Shelter Moth Caterpillars

Hang on a minute!

I thought it was a piece of thick string (or thin rope) lying across the track. We were tootling along through the Australian bush on a couple of gearless bikes (thank goodness it was flat!) and, me being in front looking far ahead, I broke the line. Eagle Eye behind me (that's her foot in top left of the picture) spotted the confusion on the floor - a chain of over a hundred furry caterpillars had been disrupted, the front end charged on over the road, behind them a couple of squashed caterpillars were surrounded by the rest of the gang who eventually got back on track leaving their unfortunate colleagues splayed out. These are Processionary Bag-Shelter Moth Caterpillars - they strip a tree of its leaves over a period of a few days, sleeping during the day in a home made bag (hence the name) at the foot of the tree. Once the tree has been eaten it's time to move on and their brave leader sets off in search of a new tree followed by the rest of the clan, each one being towed in the right direction by a thin thread of silk. And of course what do the naughty little local boys and girls do when they see a chain of these caterpillars? Yes you've probably guessed it - they join the front of the chain to the back and watch a circle of caterpillars going endlessly round in a circle!

I can see your house from up here!

I do like lighthouses! This is the one at Low Point on the north coast of Tassie. In a fairly isolated position it looks out towards Australia warning oncoming ships of sand bars and reefs at the estuary of the Tamar. It's undoubtedly prevented lots of ships from running aground but it didn't stop the MV Iron Baron beaching in 1995 spilling tons of oil and killing thousands of penguins in Australia's worst oil spill disaster. The local little penguin colony has recovered somewhat with the right sort of looking after. Incidentally a little penguin population near Melbourne, having been devastated by fox predation is now being

You leave my penguins alone!

protected with the use of these big white Maremma Sheepdogs. This gives me a good excuse to post a fine picture of the dog! These particular canines originate in Abruzzo, Italy, where they protect the local sheep from wolves! Viva i pinguini - viva le pecore!!