INSECT LIFE 193 



death by insects and even some birds in danger. 

 It is illustrated in a droll way by caterpillars. In 

 a field at the back of my garden are some beds of 

 nettles which have rooted themselves very firmly. 

 Now and then a man is sent to attack them. He 

 digs at their roots for an hour or two and seems to 

 have made a good job of it. Only seems, for really 

 the wicked nettle what a coarse, spiteful thing it 

 looks, leaves, stem, and all ! thrives through the 

 very hand that would kill it. The digging only 

 divides roots and stirs the soil to feed the nettle 

 better. Hence the beds of nettles grow larger. On 

 one bed a large community of peacock butterfly 

 caterpillars were settled in July. Proof against 

 stings, they spin ragged webs round flowers and 

 leaf, and feed up. Tap the nettle head smartly 

 with a stick and a little shower of caterpillars pelt 

 on the leaves beneath. They relax hold of the 

 leaf or flower, and let themselves fall. Some reach 

 the ground, but a large platform leaf will catch and 

 hold a couple of dozen. There is a little stir and 

 writhing, and then dead stillness. 



Two dozen tiny black caterpillars, from a quarter 

 to half an inch long, seem to lie stark dead on the 

 nettle leaf. An odd thing is the variety of attitude 

 in which they die. There is no sudden death on 

 the stage done so well as this. One little black 

 caterpillar lies stretched flat at full length, a second 

 is curled up, a third's on its back, a fourth's on its feet ; 



