I chanced upon this wonderful sight yesterday when I was spreading Yellow Rattle seed onto a wild flower meadow to reduce its grass dominance. It is the caterpillar of the Pale Tussock Moth which feeds on a variety of different trees and shrubs. What a stunner!!
This is the time to be spreading Yellow Rattle seed onto you wild flower areas if they contain too much grass. Cut the wild flower area first and remove the cuttings, then scatter the Yellow Rattle seed onto the mown ground, the winter rains will wash it to the soil surface where it will germinate in the spring. Make sure you leave the job no later than December as the seed needs the winter weather to help it germinate. I sell my packs of English Yellow Rattle seed on the ‘Rarities’ page of this website.