Strange cocoon?

[steveR]

Noticed this cocoon this morning in a hedge when walking the dogs around the cattle.

Seriously weird! Any suggestions what they are?

 

[Yale]

Caterpillars......

 

[kill]

Seen it several times and also on Hawthorne

 

[steveR]

Caterpillars......

Gettaway...

 

[Yale]

Gettaway...

No,honest,lots of them.....

 

[Deerefarmer]

Gypsy moth larvae
Destroy it asap

 

[Filthyfarmer]

Moth caterpillar. This stretch just down the road from me.

 

[rob1]

Moth caterpillar. This stretch just down the road from me.

seen a lot of them about this year

 

[essexpete]

Ermine moth. Seen all over Mid Essex and Suffolk this year. Hedges appear to be recovering.

 

[steveR]

Moth caterpillar. This stretch just down the road from me.

Now that is HUGELY impressive.

 

[essexpete]

Now that is HUGELY impressive.

TBH when first seen I thought it slightly unnerving.

 

[steveR]

TBH when first seen I thought it slightly unnerving.

I bet, like something out of a scifi or horror film!

 

[Widgetone]

Becoming a big problem, a number of hedges ( hawthorn, box etc ) look dead or dying in West Suffolk after being overwhelmed.
Read somewhere a Chinese import going native.....

 

[essexpete]

Becoming a big problem, a number of hedges ( hawthorn, box etc ) look dead or dying in West Suffolk after being overwhelmed.
Read somewhere a Chinese import going native.....

The Box issue is different and from imported far east stock. apparently slow growing box can be damaged beyond recovery. Bark is also damaged as well as leaf. We have had it in our garden. There can be 3 flushes of caterpillar according to the RHS.
The ermine moth is native to Europe and it would seem the native hedge such as hawthorn will recover.

 

[steveR]

The Box issue is different and from imported far east stock. apparently slow growing box can be damaged beyond recovery. Bark is also damaged as well as leaf. We have had it in our garden. There can be 3 flushes of caterpillar according to the RHS.
The ermine moth is native to Europe and it would seem the native hedge such as hawthorn will recover.

Should feed a few chicks...

 

[Exfarmer]

Moth caterpillar. This stretch just down the road from me.

It is common in Suffolk, sadly local hedges do not recover, since ivy takes over and the hedge is b******d. See it everywhere locally .

 

[goodevans]

Gypsy moth larvae
Destroy it asap

Looks more like some gypsy's knickers

 

[Filthyfarmer]

It is common in Suffolk, sadly local hedges do not recover, since ivy takes over and the hedge is b******d. See it everywhere locally .

Your right about the recovery, the hedge in the photo is an ancient hedgerow and maybe will have "reserves" to recover?
Another 20m section of newly planted hedge (10+yrs ago) had the moth 2 years ago and pretty much killed it.