Lakeland Caterpillars?

[Nee Bother]

Has anyone noticed the amount of caterpillars on the higher lakeland fells recently? Recci'ing on Clough Head and the Dodds I noticed thousands of them. At first I tried not to stand on them but there were that many, they could not be avoided, poor blighters.
A mate on Skiddaw & Gt. Calva said they were there too!
On a more technical note does anyone know why there seems to be so many and, more importantly what may they turn into??

[GeoffB]

I saw loads of small brown ones on Iron Crag on Saturday during the Ennerdale race. The previous week I saw loads of small copper & green coloured beetles at Duddon - these were either crawling around in the grass or flying about 30cm off the ground. (Also saw these at Wasdale a couple of weeks ago).

Apparently now is the time to look out for the rare Mountain Ringlet butterfly - Stickle Tarn, Rossett Pike sort of area.

[Baggins]

I saw loads of small brown ones on Iron Crag on Saturday during the Ennerdale race..

You must have been feeling ok then, I couldn't see any and I got a closer view of the ground than you

Bill

[Harry H Howgill]

Nothing gets past the Gazette you know. All the top news...

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co....er_is_back.php

They've even made the Guardian before now...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/st...266857,00.html

[Purpleplodder]

I noticed them on Blencathra last night.
Same route as I always do and they've just suddenly appeared by the million.
There was an article on the beeb about them too.
Apparently they come every 10 years.
Last time in the 90s they ate so much, some sheep had to be pulled off the fell cos there was nothing for them to eat. Not good.
So I didn't worry about squashing a few hundred on the track.
I also disturbed a flock of around 200 seagulls up there too.
Probably attracted by the caterpillars !

[bestathlete]

I noticed a load of the ugly b******s last week in the Blencathra region.

[Harry H Howgill]

I noticed a load of the ugly b******s last week in the Blencathra region.

Someone took some photos...

http://www.keswicklakedistrict.co.uk/fellraces/bl2007/

[Nee Bother]

Thanks Chaps
And I was trying to avoid them at first!!
Boots instead of fell shoes next week

[Harry H Howgill]

Thanks Chaps
And I was trying to avoid them at first!!
Boots instead of fell shoes next week

Some of these?...

http://www.fotosearch.com/bigcomp.as...14/SCC_020.jpg

[Nee Bother]

Thanks HHH
If we all wear a pair of them over the next few weeks the caterpillars will be well & truly squished!!

If we did it properly we could also tread a tidy trod from Gt. Calva to river!