Small Tortoise

Actually Small Tortoiseshell butterfly - Aglais urticae.  I can never get near these flighty little guys but Christian Tait caught this beautiful image.  He says he is lucky and quick, but I think he must be very patient and persistent - he's a graphic artist.

People often think it is a Red Admiral but that butterfly is black, white and red, while the Small Tortoiseshell is orange, with black and yellow on the leading edge of the forewings and little blue jewels all round the trailing edges of the wings.

The caterpillars feed on nettles and at first they stick together in a sort of web on the nettle leaves.  Then when nearly full grown, they go off on their own.