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Locating Caterpillars
Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:35 pm
by Danny
I have an allotment and have a healthy crop of nettles, I would like to breed some small tortoishells on them, or indeed peacock or red admiral. I figured that if a net them off the birds won't get them and I'd be able to watch the grubs grow and turn into chrysalids etc etc.
Problem is I can never find the caterpillars, I search high and low for nests of small torts with no luck. Has anybody got any tips for finding any nettle species?
Danny
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:25 am
by eccles
I always remember seeing them as a child but they do seem difficult to find lately. Maybe my eyes aren't as good.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Anyway, larvae probably won't be around until April/May. Pete's done a huge amount of work on the main UK Butterflies website, so check it out for times or other info.
Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:41 am
by Pete Eeles
Small Tortoiseshell have suffered a severe decline in the last 5 years and larval nests are pretty difficult to find, based on my observations. And Peacock were always difficult to find! However, I do find that both species frequent the same sites year after year and I can quite reliably find larval nests of both species.
Typical sites are sheltered, in full sunshine, with a fresh growth of nettles (not full-grown). This is quite often next to a tree line, or against a farm wall, for example.
I'd also suggest that care is taken when transplanting any livestock, and would recommend you "start small" to begin with. Also - just be aware that the sudden decline in Small Tortoiseshell is still somewhat of a mystery (I've heard nothing conclusive), and is not necessarily down to predation by birds, but possibly a virus of some sort.
Cheers,
- Pete
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:14 am
by Lance
Rather worrying about the small tortoiseshell. they disappeared from my local 'patch' of nettles a couple of years ago. There were a few adults on the buddlia but no caterpillars on the nettles.
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 12:57 pm
by JKT
Maybe, maybe not. They disappeared almost completely from Finland a few years ago, but after a couple of years the numbers began to grow again. Now the situation is almost normal. As far as I know there is no known explanation.