Small tortoiseshell

As with several nymphalid butterflies, the caterpillars feed on stinging nettles, hence the name. They are also butterflies which are very sensitive to drought. The drought directly affects the Urtica leaves; the higher the nitrogen and water level in the leaves, the more rapid the growth of the larvae. During a drought, both of these levels drop significantly, leaving the tortoiseshell larvae nothing to feed on. Luckily, Belgium is still a quite rainy place sowe can see these butterflies almost every summer.