The stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of the most common and widespread of British wild plants. It is one of a small number of plants, that includes cow parsley and cleavers (goose grass), that have benefitted from the nitrogenous acid rain that was and still is a feature of industrialisation. Children find its sting a source of pain though to most adults it is merely an irritation. There was a time when the nettle was always in the list of those to be planted or enouraged when making an area more wildlife friendly. However, none of the butterflies for whom it is a major food source are in danger, and it is increasingly the view that we have quite enough nettles and there are other plants more deserving of inclusion. These nettles were part of a group thriving in some woods and once again the light filtering down through the leaf canopy above made the composition.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2
