On 2009-06-21 19:09:03 +0100, David in Normandy
said:

Yesterday while hand weeding I moved this leaf aside and my heart
stopped for a moment as encountered this little horror. I pulled my
hand back sharply, then realised the offending object was quite
harmless. Anyone recognise it ;-) ? I think the brain must be
hard-wired to give reflex responses on seeing certain things!

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/Photos/Hpim7847a.jpg

Anyone else been startled by anything unexpected in the garden?

Someone who works for us turned over a piece of cardboard up near the
compost heap the other day and a huge grass snake slithered away from
her. Hard to tell who was more startled but as she loves snakes, she
was also very pleased! Later, she found the sloughed skin and brought
it in which gave me a bit of a start when I found it on the window sill
in the back corridor!
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Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon