Incidentally, the enigmatic, abandoned Pilot’s Tower is rumoured to suffer from concrete cancer, and is likely to be demolished when work on the areas redevelopment gets underway. We at S&G will miss this landmark building.

I took the following footage on a single stroll round Folkestone on Tuesday.

The following video is not for arachnophobes perhaps, although it could provide some un-regulated aversion therapy! We say,’enjoy the wildlife!’

Music is ‘Vent’, by Tricky.

Only the females can sting, and then only weakly. The true purpose of all the activity can be seen in the following video. Contains mild bee sex.

Not sure about its chances of survival in the long term, but it happily hopped off into the undergrowth when approached, so if it hasn’t been eaten by a fox (or ‘large’ smudged-looking ‘big cat’), is presumably still at large. We, at S&G, wish it all the best.

The Leas is rightly, highly valued for it’s superb walks with views towards France over the Channel. I took this photo on my cameraphone, one autumn as the lamp-posts that line the path, were being painted. Obviously, this helps protect them from the elements, and keeps them looking nice, but holidaymakers and strollers are not the only seasonal visitors to appreciate the results of this maintenance programme.

Each spring, happy with the condition of the lamp-posts, several pairs of bluetits have been building there nests inside them. This typically bedraggled-looking parent has just returned with a morsel for the brood.

Having, first, landed on the bracket below…

…it then flies in through the tiny hole in the side…

to deliver the latest food parcel.

Sometimes I’ve seen them fly in one side, and out the other, or perhaps when one parent arrives at the front door, the other flies out the back door for more supplies. In this instance, the parent re-appears at the same hole, hesitates, and checks the coast is clear…

before flying off to hunt for more chick fuel.

The good news is that Folkestone continues to attract relatively exotic wildlife. First there was Dave the Dolphin. Then, back in Jan, I was fortunate enough to come across a flock of waxwings who had come to visit Park Farm industrial estate.

Now, just round the corner from Park Farm, at Brickfield’s, near the car wash, a large population of caterpillars of the brown tail moth, have taken up residence. I went along to see for myself, and was amazed at the extent to which the caterpillars had set up camp, in tent after tent, in approx 60 metres of hawthorn bushes.

The bad news is, that the hairy caterpillars are not popular with gardeners, or the owners of the site, as they cause an unpleasant rash when handled, and can cause breathing problems. But it’s a shame that it’s deemed necessary to destroy the entire population and burn the bushes as, it seems, is planned. Left to continue their natural life-cycle, the caterpillars would soon go on to become moths, which are pollenators, and, as far as I can tell after researching on the web, are not considered a problem at that stage.

One observation I did make, is that that many of the hairy trouble-makers, in blatant disregard for authority, were crossing the red and white tape barriers, and leaving the cordoned-off zone.  I’m hoping that if the afore-mentioned drastic measures are taken, then at least some of the furry little creatures will get away, to set up home elsewhere.

For more pictures of the caterpillar infestation click here, and to see an image of the adult moth click here.