www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Posted: **Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:13 am**

Yey

How many times have you been stung by the nettles?

Posted: **Mon Aug 14, 2006 3:23 pm**

Wayne wrote:Yey

How many times have you been stung by the nettles?

Fortunately only once

The larva are looking much more docile now so I think they maybe reaching pupation stage soon

Mark

Posted: **Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:21 am**

Hello again,

Quick update

3 of the 5 are now in the process of metamorphosis. Will post up some pics when I get home

Posted: **Wed Aug 16, 2006 7:22 pm**

Here are some update pics.

One is still wondering around not sure what is happening!

This one has decided to settle on the lid....now we can't open it and get closer look

Here are the other three.

It is so exciting to watch the stages of all five. We thought we had four but one had been hiding in the leaves.

How long do they stage in the pupate stage?

Posted: **Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:03 pm**

2-4 weeks, depending on temperature.

I'm also going to stick my neck out here regarding your remaining "wanderer". This looks more like a Red Admiral caterpillar to me. Does it have a single white line down its side, rather than a double line? If this is a Red Admiral larva, then it will tend to make home in a curled up leaf (which matches your description of it "hiding" among the leaves), and it will also form a tent out of leaves within which it will pupate.

Cheers,

- Pete

Posted: **Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:06 pm**

That is so interesting because I was confused about the one line down the side and it is bigger than the others too. It kept curling the leaves around it before.

Do they eat nettles too? There is not much left but we are finding it hard to get some more and they are on the roof so an scared to open it incase we damage them.
Will we have to go on another nettle hunt?

Lou

Posted: **Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:38 pm**

I'm afraid so. Yes - they eat nettles too. Perhaps you can remove the remaining larva and put it in its own container. Or try and remove the lid without disturbing the pupating Small Torts.

Cheers,

- Pete

Posted: **Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:14 pm**

Hello again,

Came home from work to find this one had emerged

Posted: **Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:15 pm**

WoooHooooo!!!

Well done!

Posted: **Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:23 pm**

Superb!! Beautiful!! Bet you don't want to let them go!!

Posted: **Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:49 pm**

yeah grabbed a few pics then let it go

Oh well 4 more to go

Posted: **Sat Sep 02, 2006 2:15 am**

Hurrah!!

Excellent

www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars