Tortishell caterpillars

[hilary]

On several nettle patchs where there are normally tortishell caterpillars from july, I saw at quite a few nests in early july.
4 nests were just visable as tiny caterpillars inside the webb and another couple were a little bigger and venturing out of the web. Next time I lokked (few days later) there was no trace of any of them and the nettles are in pristine condition. The younger nests did not seem to leave the web and the only trace of them was the remains of the web and some dust like frass on the leaf below.

When I saw another very early nest I made a small 'polytunnel' with wire and old net cutains sewn together. These did so well I had to take off the cover as they were a bit too dense and had eaten most of the nettle.

The only other nest where they grew to about an inch long was several feet from a wasps nest but in a direction where I never saw the wasps fly ( in the entrance of a large barn ). I suspect wasps, as there are two large wasp nests witin a hundred yards and almost every where I look there are wasps foraging. But then again there is usually at least one wasp nest near by most years. Does any one have any other ideas?