Spotty

Quite large, plump and very colourful - a very big and juicy snack for any of my garden birds so I think he should be watching out! This is a Mullein moth caterpillar.

The black and yellow spots are shared with related species, but only this has the narrow black streaks on the sides. The moth itself is brown, fairly common and looks just like a sliver of bark. The caterpillar can strip leaves and turn flower spikes into blackened stumps in minutes! Perhaps he should be watching out for more than just other birds in my garden!!