A brilliant evening for our bat walk around Horfield Common last night... the wind piped down just in time! Led by the ever-knowledgeable Steve England (https://steveengland.co.uk/), it was the first one we’ve hosted in a while, and was a real success. A great turnout, lots of enthusiasm, and best of all... plenty of bats!

We spotted Noctule and Common Pipistrelle, and even had one swooping about early while we were still setting up. Steve shared loads of fascinating bat facts throughout the walk, making it an interesting evening for all.
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Thanks to everyone who came along – and if you missed it, hopefully there’ll be another one soon!

If you’ve walked past the Bird Cherry tree at the bottom of the Common recently, you’ve probably noticed that it’s become quite a talking point. Draped in ghostly silk webs, it looks like something from a Halloween scene — but there’s actually a natural reason behind it.
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Each year, this eerie display is caused by the caterpillars of the Bird Cherry Ermine moth (Yponomeuta evonymella). These small caterpillars spin communal webs and feed on the leaves, stripping them bare, giving the tree its white, webbed look.

It may seem alarming, but they’re harmless. Once the caterpillars pupate and turn into moths, they leave the tree and it starts to recover — usually within a week or so. Despite some leaf loss, the tree bounces back and the cycle repeats the following year.

The webs can stretch across several trees or shrubs, creating the impression of an entire hedgerow wrapped in silk. Birds tend to avoid the caterpillars, probably due to their taste or the protection the webbing offers. And while this is most often seen on Bird Cherry, other trees like Hawthorn and Apple can be affected too.

Nature at work — strange, seasonal, and fascinating!