Tag Archives: Alpine Lady’s Mantle

Monadhliath Mountains

Ambre, Roy and Noggin setting out into the mountains
Ambre, Roy and Noggin setting out into the mountains
Rhacomitrium heath on the Monadhliath Mountains
Rhacomitrium heath on the Monadhliath Mountains
Sphagnum rubrum
Rhacomitrium heath on the Monadhliath Mountains
Alpine Lady's Mantle
Alpine Lady’s Mantle
A Moss - green and red Sphagnum in a peat hag
A Moss – green and red Sphagnum in a peat hag
Northern Spinach Moth Eulithis populata (FP Bilberry)
Northern Spinach Moth Eulithis populata (FP Bilberry)
Pupating Emperor Moth Caterpillar Saturnia pavonia
Pupating Emperor Moth Caterpillar Saturnia pavonia

I was lucky enough to catch an Emperor Moth caterpillar in the act of preparing to pupate; the full-grown caterpillar with its hairy aposematic yellow-green body marked with black is tied on to the grass stems with a hundred silken threads.

Glorious lichened rock on summit
Glorious lichened rock on summit

On the summit ridge, this flat rock was covered with magnificently coloured lichens in shades of orange, yellow ochre, grey and white, with black, grey, brown or burgundy apothecia.

Herd of Red Deer on Sunlit Skyline
Herd of Red Deer on Sunlit Skyline

Towards the end of the eight-and-a-half-hour walk with the sun westering low over the hills, we caught sight of a herd of 32 hinds. The little Nikon captured this nice shot of them, all peering down at us from the skyline.