Country diary: A warning 'nudge' on the cheek by a hornet | Kate Blincoe

Caistor St Edmund, Norfolk: I'm surprised the nest is so active this late in the year - still, they always demand respectI stop dead, performing a manoeuvre practised over a lifetime. It's a specific heel swivel that averts the life-ending squish of a worm, slug or snail. This time, the creature is a caterpillar, its pale green body blending with the grass - and it is setting one hell of a pace as it traverses the bare earth.Now, its colouring and extravagant white fluff stands out. Four buff tufts sprout from its back, and a pinky red tail of hairs reaching up from its rear like a flag. As it flexes, it flashes black. As it flexes, it flashes black. I resist the urge to put out my hand and invite this pale tussock moth larva to crawl over my skin. They can cause severe allergic reactions. Continue reading...