Thanks so much to Jon for the fascinating post about the roosting Old Ladies. The bridge is only a ten minute bike ride from here, so I wobbled up there this morning. The moths must have something to discuss because they are still there. The gloom is dire for an iPhone, as Jon says, but here are a couple of my efforts. I will try to row up there in a dinghy over the weekend but meanwhile, many thanks to the navigators - right - who gave me a platform; the moths are right on the opposite side to the towpath. I will go up at dusk tonight, if poss, to see if they stay sleeping or have a flutter around.
Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon
Thanks so much to Jon for the fascinating post about the roosting Old Ladies. The bridge is only a ten minute bike ride from here, so I wobbled up there this morning. The moths must have something to discuss because they are still there. The gloom is dire for an iPhone, as Jon says, but here are a couple of my efforts. I will try to row up there in a dinghy over the weekend but meanwhile, many thanks to the navigators - right - who gave me a platform; the moths are right on the opposite side to the towpath. I will go up at dusk tonight, if poss, to see if they stay sleeping or have a flutter around. Martin Wainwright, Thrupp, Oxon
Thanks for following this up, Martin! If you can come up with a decent estimate of how many there are that would be very interesting. There appear to be 40 or more in your image, which I assume shows only part of the collection.
ReplyDeleteMartin - so happy you got to see this too! Good pictures. Do you think the fact the bridge is a very uneven surface (I.e. lots of places for them to sit tighly together bit not be on top of each other) is the reason there are so many together??
ReplyDeleteHi both - and thanks so much again, Jon. I think you are right about the fissures in the bridge. Both clusters seemed to be centred on cracks in the masonry. I had a look at the other gridges en route from Thrupp and the very comparable one near Roundham Lock was both smoother and covered with spiders' webs. Mind you, there were also webs very close to your Old Ladies! It will be fery interesting to see what the experts make of it in due course. Meanwhile, I spread the word on my cycle home, including to a 'walking bus' of children on a nature outing from a holiday playscheme.
ReplyDeleteDave, I very much hope to pay a longer and closer visit and if so will try to add up properly. I'll send you some other oucs in case they help your estimates and, if I can get back with a torch or whatever, will try to improve pic quality.
All warmest, M