I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.
kate

On 25/7/06 13:06, in article , "Kate
Morgan" wrote:

I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.

I know little about this but aren't eggs laid on the undersides of leaves?
Did you actually turn the leaves over and if so, has your crop of dock
leaves greatly diminished? ;-)
You might also like to plant the lovely Eupatorium which, in our experience
here, is very much more attractive to butterflies even than Buddleia.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
...
I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there
does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to
say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We
do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.
kate

Gate keepers do seem to be having a good season. I wonder if you left
the nettles in a dank dark corner? The butterflies that like nettles
are a bit choosy about the nettles but I've never worked out exactly
how they choose but it's usually not nettles in a dank dark place.
--
Rod

My real address is rodtheweedygardeneratmyweedyisp
Just remove the weedy bits
and transplant the appropriate symbol at.

I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there
does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to
say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We
do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.
kate

Gate keepers do seem to be having a good season. I wonder if you left
the nettles in a dank dark corner? The butterflies that like nettles
are a bit choosy about the nettles but I've never worked out exactly
how they choose but it's usually not nettles in a dank dark place.

No the nettles are up one side of a sunny paddock, it is the first time
that they have been left so maybe it takes a while for the butterflies
to find them, sounds a bit daft but I cannot think of any other reason.
I will have to cut them back later in the year then I will try again
next year
kate

I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.

I know little about this but aren't eggs laid on the undersides of leaves?
Did you actually turn the leaves over and if so, has your crop of dock
leaves greatly diminished? ;-)
You might also like to plant the lovely Eupatorium which, in our experience
here, is very much more attractive to butterflies even than Buddleia.

I have just made a close inspection and there is nothing on the nettles,
It is a bit of a pain because I had to get pretty stroppy with my
otherhalf as he wanted to cut them all down, I am not going to tell him
and I doubt he will go and look :-)
We got rid of all our docks as they were taking up valuable grazing
space so now I am reaching for the medicine box to stop the stinging !
then I am going to take a look at your suggestion of the Eupatorium.

kate

Kate Morgan writes

I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.

I know little about this but aren't eggs laid on the undersides of leaves?
Did you actually turn the leaves over and if so, has your crop of dock
leaves greatly diminished? ;-)
You might also like to plant the lovely Eupatorium which, in our experience
here, is very much more attractive to butterflies even than Buddleia.

I have just made a close inspection and there is nothing on the nettles,
It is a bit of a pain because I had to get pretty stroppy with my
otherhalf as he wanted to cut them all down, I am not going to tell him
and I doubt he will go and look :-)
We got rid of all our docks as they were taking up valuable grazing
space so now I am reaching for the medicine box to stop the stinging !
then I am going to take a look at your suggestion of the Eupatorium.

The Eupatorium won't do the same job as the nettles. Nettles are the
food plant of the caterpillars Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral
as well as a few others. Eupatorium, from what Sacha says, is attractive
to the adults for nectar, but it isn't the food plant of the larvae.

Our native Eupatorium, Eupatorium cannabinum (which may or may not be
the one Sacha means) is, however, the food plant for 3 moths - wormwood
pug, lime-speck pug and scarce burnished brass.

Or you could go another route, and try for a meadow with a good mixture
of grasses - that should bring you in the meadow brown and ringlet, and
there are about 25 different moths and butterflies whose caterpillars
feed on different varieties of grass.

But be patient. Gardening for wildlife is a long term thing. I've been
doing it for about 10 years here, and the number and range of creatures
is still increasing.
--
Kay

Rod Craddock wrote:

"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
...
I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there
does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to
say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We
do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.
kate

Gate keepers do seem to be having a good season. I wonder if you left
the nettles in a dank dark corner? The butterflies that like nettles
are a bit choosy about the nettles but I've never worked out exactly
how they choose but it's usually not nettles in a dank dark place.


I don't think anyone really knows the answer to that one. We know that
biochemical cues in the plants lead to some being prefered. I certainly
have observed the same plants and bushes being chosen overy year with
certain species.

As for the nettles they should be in full sun. That at least helps.

Neil Jones
http://www.butterflyguy.com/

:
I have just inspected all the nettles that I left to grow and there does
not seem to be a great deal of insect life on them, disappointing to say
the least, whats wrong with my nettles I would like to know :-) We do
however have a huge number of gatekeeper butterfly`s so I must be
getting something right.
kate

The Gatekeepers food plants are grasses (various), so it's nice that you
have them, but probably nowt to do with the stingers.

Many thanks to you all who answered, I would love to go for a meadow but
I need the grazing so I must make do with what is left :-) I will cut
the nettles down later in the year, I dry them and mix them in our old
pony`s feed, she likes them and they are good for her. I will let them
grow again next year and I might get a better result, who knows :-)

kate