I’m a this friend or foe please? Caterpillar

[EvangelicalAboutButteredToast]

I have loads of them and I’m trying to work out if they are going to decimate our mature conifer hedge or not.

Doni remove these nests or leave them alone?

Not totally sure but they could be box moth caterpillars. Do you have box hedges? If you do they are big trouble. Not sure if they eat anything else.

box caterpillar - Search (bing.com)

Lackey moth caterpillars. They feed mainly on hawthorn, and some other trees and shrubs. Leave them in peace if you can, there is a niche for every critter 🙂

I don’t think so. They are all sitting on a blackthorn bush that sits next to a mature conifer hedge that has masses of nests in it. So if they are bird food I’d like to leave them.

We have these and they are so beautiful and velvety 😍

These are box caterpillars but they don't look the same as yours ...

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=zcRaXtf%2f&id=80737AA0735A2ABF69437691422552FA16562133&thid=OIP.zcRaXtf__D5gm2lZrLT3xQHaDR&

Stay away from them as their hairs can cause allergic reactions in some people.

Not as nasty as oak processionary moth though.

Yup. Lackey moth.