On Sat, 02 Aug 2003 22:53:42 GMT, Andy Spragg
wrote:

"David Hill" pushed briefly to
the front of the queue on Sat, 2 Aug 2003 14:55:36 +0100, and nailed
this to the shed door:

^ Was going to get rid of some nettles earlier this week only to find one
^ clump swarming with caterpillars (Probably painted lady) several
hundred and
^ all about 1/2 inch.

Probably not - probably Small Tortoiseshell. Painted Lady prefers
thistle AFAIK. Peacocks are the other theoretical possibility, though
I personally have yet even to find even them :-( Whatever, I always
like to see a good commune of caterpillars converting nettles into
manure. We've got a real bumper crop round here at the moment, can't
remember ever seeing so many - it's going to be butterfly heaven in a
few weeks time. It's pretty close to it now.

What do they look like? Green and yellow stripes down their length? =
Totoiseshell http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/larva.asp?item=5556

Black and spikey with tiny white spots ? = Peacock
http://www.habitas.org.uk/moths/larva.asp?item=5559


Both like stingers, and I've often found them in "nests" or large groups.

Tim.