The Small Ermine moth seems to be having a good year. A couple of weeks ago I saw this mass of 'cobwebs' in a green lane in Hertfordshire. On closer inspection they were crawling with caterpillars; they spin the web for protection as they transition into moths. Since then I've seen a number of photos in the national media of similarly extensive webbing.

 There are eight species of Small Ermine moth. I think those shown above must be the Orchard Ermine (Yponomeuta padella) which is found mainly on Hawthorn and (as is the case here) Blackthorn. The importance of our surviving hedgerows has been a theme in this diary recently.