The Vanessids

Caterpillars of several of the Vanessids feed on the young leaves of Stinging Nettles growing in a sunny spot, like the Small Tortoiseshell caterpillar in the picture above.

This colourful group includes some of our biggest and best known butterflies - the Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Comma.

The caterpillars of many Vanessids are partial to nettles, a good choice, as nettles are one of the few native plants that accompany - rather than being obliterated by - human activity.

Despite its familiarity, the Red Admiral is not a year-round resident, or only rarely so. Fresh populations enter Britain from the continent each year; they breed in the south of England and their offspring move further north to breed again. There are rarely enough sunny days in the year to permit a return migration from the north all the way back, so the North of England and Scotland is a bit of a dead end for them.  Having said that, a few adults do manage to hibernate in cracks in tree trunks and old sheds.
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Hibernation Sites
This is an interesting feature of the Vanessids - many of them hibernate as adults. Most butterflies spend the winter as caterpillars or chrysalises, occasionally as eggs, but rarely as adults. Much the same is true of moths and most insects in fact. This raises again the very important issue of hibernation sites. Without hibernation sites, butterflies and other insects cannot survive the winter. Providing nectar-producing flowers for adult butterflies and juicy leaves for their caterpillars is not quite enough. They also need cosy safe havens in which to overwinter, whether they do it as caterpillars, pupae or adults. This can mean undisturbed leaf litter, the base of clumps of grass, cracks in the bark of old trees, log piles or old sheds and attics. Tiding up gardens and public greenspaces in autumn can destroy their winter retreats leaving them at the mercy of biting winds with little likelihood of survival.

Male Hedgerow Territories
Sunny south-facing hedgerows or woodland edges are a recurring feature in the lives of many species of butterfly. It is here that the male, like that of the Peacock, sets up his territory where he waits for a passing female, chasing off rivals in the meantime. The importance of hedgerows is obvious in the case of butterflies like the Orange-tip as that is also where their foodplants and nectar providers usually grow, but hedgerows are also essential for others like the vanessids which use them mainly for finding a mate, while seeking their nectar and food elsewhere. The uprooting of hedges from the countryside and gardens may therefore be a factor in the decline of some species, not by depriving them of food, but by interfering with their reproductive strategy.

Create a Hedgerow
Hedges of native species are extremely easy and cheap to create and so long as planted well away from the edge of roads and neighbours' property, maintenance-free. A simple mixed hedge of for instance honeysuckle, hawthorn, holly and wild rose will provide berries, leaves and nectar for wildlife.

 PEACOCK
 Inachis io

The Peacock butterfly is among the first to appear in spring as it wakes from hibernation, having hibernated as an adult.

Looking at the picture upside down it could equally well be described as an owl butterfly. Co-incidence or mimicry to deter attack by birds?

The male marks out his territory, usually a sunny south facing woodland edge, where he lies in wait for a passing female and chases off any potential rivals.

The female lays 300 to 500 eggs on the underside of a tender young NETTLE leaf in a sunny spot. On hatching, the caterpillars spin a communal web over themselves for protection while they eat.

 SMALL TORTOISESHELL
Aglais urticae

The Small Tortoiseshell, was  until recently as familiar a garden butterfly as the Large White, as we delighted in watching large numbers of them drinking nectar from popular garden flowers like buddleja, sedum and Michaelmas daises, but unfortunately has suffered a major decline in recent years.

After a sunny hedgerow courtship display, eggs are laid on fresh NETTLE leaves.

Groups of caterpillars produce a silken web over the growing tip for concealment while they eat.

Once fully grown after several changes of skin they move away from the nettle bed and form distinctively sculptured looking chrysalises on a stem or wall.

Unfortunately they are also attractive to birds which consume many of them, as do the larvae of parasitic flies and wasps.

They hibernate as adults.

RED ADMIRAL
Vanessa atalantica

 Despite being found throughout the British Isles, the Red Admiral is not a fully resident British species. It migrates to Britain each year from the continent to breed in southern England, and successive generation move further north.

The female lays her eggs one at a time on the tip of a young NETTLE leaf, and the emerging caterpillar folds the leaf over itself and secures it with silk, for protection.

A few adults may hibernate  in tree trunks and sheds, but few survive a British winter.

COMMA
Polygonia C-album

The Comma is a common butterfly over many areas of England and Wales and in recent years has been extending its territory northwards into Scotland. It is easy to identify as it's the only large British butterfly with 'ragged' wings.

It doesn't migrate long distances like some of the other Vanessids but is still  a strong flyer and can cover a large area in search of nectar.

The main food plant of its caterpillar are now NETTLES, but the female will also lay her eggs on HOPS. Those growing against a warm hedgerow are preferred.

The caterpillar is well camouflaged as a bird dropping with a splash of white running down its back. The chrysalis resembles a withered leaf.

When resting with wings closed the adult too does a fair imitation of a dead leaf which helps it evade detection as it hibernates in woodland.

 Other Vanessids include the White Admiral, the Purple Emperor and the migratory Painted Lady. There is also the Large Tortoiseshell, but this has not been observed breeding in Britain for many years.

The White Admiral is a woodland butterfly found in the South of England high in the tree canopy where it too feeds on aphid honeydew, coming down to get salts from mud and dung, and to lay its eggs on the leaves of HONEYSUCKLE.

The Purple Emperor adults feed on aphid honeydew rather than nectar and extract salts from mud. Its eggs are laid on SALLOW leaves.

​The Painted Lady is discussed in another section.