Brown-tail moth caterpillars near Hildersham Wood

Beside the path leading to Hildersham Wood from Abington Park Farm, Anne and Ross DN spotted a web spun at the end of a branch on a young hawthorn bush this week (30 Apr). The web was filled with very distinctive hairy black caterpillars, each with two orange dots on their backs and a row of white dots running along their sides. 

Anne believes these to be Brown-tail Moth caterpillars (Euproctis chrysorrhoea), and checking in the books, indicates that they should not be handled as their hairs can cause extreme irritation!