All roads open. Everyone can access Nelson-Lyle, walking boots to Lyle, wellies to Friends, Reedbed hide closed for now. Water levels dropping. Lady Fen trails closed for breeding season - due to re-open July. Wetland views from the cafe until then.

Sleepy caterpillars

25 September 2016

At the end of September, keep your eyes peeled for large caterpillars searching for somewhere to spend the winter. This privet hawk-moth caterpillar crawled into the visitor centre earlier in the month looking for the perfect place to bury itself so it can turn into a pupa.

Privet hawk-moths are the largest resident species, the adults fly at night in June/July, they have a wingspan of up to 12cm and have a pink and black striped body. The caterpillars have been feeding up over the summer months from July onwards and are now looking to settled down ready for winter.