Habitats.

Part eight the nettle feeders.

Nettle patches-found in fields, farmyards, orchards and gardes throughout the British isles are breeding grounds for aristocrat butterflies. Small tortoiseshells, red admirals, peacocks and commas breed regularly on nettles, and painted ladies breed on them occasionally. Butterflies bask on the plants and lay their eggs on the nettles tender young leaves. The stinging hairs have no effect on their hard, light bodies. However they do not feed from the drab flowers, which are a pour source of nectar. When the young caterpillars of small tortoiseshells and peacocks hatch, they live together in a mass of spun silk, eating the nettle tops. Res admiral caterpillars are solitary and live in a secluded leaf tent. The advantage of feeding on nettles is that most grazing animals leave the nettles alone because they are tough and will sting them. In fact, more than forty species of insects, including aphids, bugs and beetles, are completely or partially dependant on nettles for food or shelter. This is why in any area nettles are so important for so many different insects, but some birds will predate the caterpillars. Stinging nettles do what we call pheno plasticity, i have mentioned this in a previous blog but basically its way the nettle control the light for themselves. A female red admiral lays a single egg on a nettle leaf. She will move onto other leaves to lay more eggs.  As peacock caterpillars develop they look distinctly black with orange feet, they are also covered in spines. Small tortoiseshell caterpillars make jerking movements with their heads whenever the nettles are disturbed by a predatory bird. The sudden movement often startles the bird and drives it away. Most nettle-feeding caterpillars leave the mettle patch to form their chrysalis. They often wander many yards to find a suitable place, such as a fence rail or post, tree bark or garden sheds.