Red admiral caterpillar ( Vanessa atalanta ) on stinging nettle by Fletcher Wildlife Garden

Fletcher Wildlife Garden | all galleries >> Previous FWG blogs >> 2012 Blogs >> FWG Blog: June 2012 > Red admiral caterpillar (Vanessa atalanta) on stinging nettle


	Diane Lepage

Photographed in the butterfly meadow.

Nikon D7000
1/1600s f/14.0 at 105.0mm iso6400 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto

Fletcher Wildlife Garden		07-Jun-2012 13:17
What you are noticing with the nettles is exactly because of the caterpillars eating them. Anywhere nettles are found with red admiral caterpillars on them, the leaves will be brown or they will have been entirely eaten by the caterpillars. (Christine)

Guest		07-Jun-2012 11:47
Excellent caterpillar and larva photos Diane. The nettles that I have seen the Red Admiral caterpillars on elsewhere look really unhealthy with browned and bedraggled leaves. I don't know if this is due to the caterpillars eating them or something else. Are the Nettles at the FWG looking still healthy? Claudia Burns

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