Glebe Lake today removing netting from a bank of well established reeds. Also removing Willow from the reed. Swallows and Martins feeding over the water plus various Dragonflies and Damselflies, some mating pairs. Various birds, (Reed Warbler) use the reeds when nesting. Others feed on the seeds.
Whilst having lunch in the shade of some trees at the edge of the footpath, we watched several Cinnabar Moth caterpillars. They were crossing the path which is a desert but on the opposite side there is a bank with several Ragwort plants which is the food plant of the Cinnabar caterpillar. The toxins in Ragwort transfer to the caterpillar and later, after metamorphosis, to the moth. A strategy that makes them unpalatable to predators. The female moth lays her eggs on Ragwort, these caterpillars must have devoured the plants they were born on and were looking for more. The caterpillars black and yellow striped colour act as a warning to would be predators.
Glebe lake is a well established lake, ex mineral extraction site. Our task is to improve the margins by planting reeds and other native plants that like shallow water and waterside habitat. There is no public access but there are views from Nutfield Marsh Road and a public footpath which is on the northern side of the lake.