Nature Watch, with RON FREETHY. . .

MANY who watched the recent and successful TV series What The Victorians Did For Us, will have enjoyed watching what benefits to modern day life were created in 19th century life.

They did, however, get it wrong occasionally and brought plants into Britain which we could well do without.

One such plant is the giant hogweed which brought in from Russia. It grows very fast each year and can grow to more than 2.5 metres (nearly eight feet).

It provided shade in the days when it was considered "vulgar" for posh people to have a tan.

What they did not realise is that the stems begin to ooze a fluid when the hot August sunshine strikes.

This fluid burns the skin and in the case of children or those with a delicate skin, hogweed is a real danger.

From Victorian gardens it has spread very quickly especially along riversides.

At this time of the year local councils try to get rid of it but those of us who enjoy the countryside should learn to recognise the plant with prominent white flowers.

Then leave it alone! It is just as attractive when seen from a distance!

Ugly caterpillar has beautiful talent for clearing rosebay

BEAUTY, they say, is in the eye of the beholder, but I'd say that the elephant hawk moth caterpillar is 100 per cent ugly!

I enjoyed looking at the hawk moth caterpillar recently sent in by a reader, which was large and pretty, but the larvae of the elephant hawk moth is large and not pretty.

At least it does some good - the caterpillars eat rosebay willow herb, which we need to get rid of.

The elephant hawk moth can measure more than four inches (10cms) in length and gets its name because its body looks grey and wrinkled, thus resembling an elephant's trunk.

It reaches maturity during mid-August to the end of September.

Owls under threat

FOR the last 50 years the barn owl has been declining in Britain - due to many old barns being converted and an rise in the use of dangerous agricultural chemicals.

In the North West we use less chemicals than in the South East because we grow less arable crops. In consequence the barn owl has survived more easily here.

In the last two weeks I have seen three barn owls - one in the Ribble Valley, one near Kirkby Lonsdale and one near Skipton.