Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars feeding on Nettles (Urtica dioica) 14/05/2026 Northern Ireland

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-21

[00:00:01]Here are some small tortoiseshell butterfly caterpillars feeding on nettles here.

[00:00:10]As you can see, they're gregarious feeders, i.e. they feed in groups.

[00:00:16]So, that's one group of them and then over here is another.

[00:00:23]So, there's at least two groups of uh caterpillars feeding on these nettles. There's probably more in our earlier stages of development which I can't see.

[00:00:35]And you can see these nettles.

[00:00:38]This is where we dump grass from our lawn when we mow it.

[00:00:43]Nettles love nutritious soil.

[00:00:46]So, there's a good patch of them coming up here now.

[00:00:50]And these are great sources of food for butterflies.

[00:00:54]Small tortoiseshells, red admirals, peacock butterflies all use nettle as a caterpillar food plant.