Creepy “ghostly” caterpillar webs have smothered the garden of a 17th-century country estate.
An invasion of white ermine moth caterpillars has resulted in what looks like a horror movie scene, with thick layers of white web covering the garden bushes.
It left staff shocked after seeing the thick webs in the garden of the 1,000-acre Courteenhall Estate in Northamptonshire.
Head Groundsman Darron Wilks described the scene as “dramatic and a bit ghostly,” with the webs “especially abundant in our spindle bushes this year.”
The webs, which can hold hundreds of caterpillars, are spun to protect caterpillars from predators as they transform into moths.
Ermine moths can be minor agricultural pests, and consist of several hundred species mostly found in the tropics.
They are white with distinctive black spots and a wingspan of up to 31mm, and once matured fly around at night between June and September.
Wilks added: “The caterpillars have created a spectacular art display and everyone who sees it does a double take.
“We’re looking forward to watching them transform into white ermine moths over the coming weeks and they will be great food for the birds and the bats on the estate.”
Courteenhall Estate has belonged to the Wake family since 1672, with the Hall built in 1791.
