Scattered stinging nettle seeds all over my yard (on purpose). So, if you're ever wandering up here in a future post apocalytic wasteland and suddenly your shins and thighs are stinging... it's all edible (cook and eat like spinach, or make it into tea).
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AI6YR Ben
in reply to zl2tod • • •zl2tod
in reply to AI6YR Ben • • •It seems that Red Admirals are widespread in North America.
Here they very much love Ongaonga tree nettles, but will settle for other species.
fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollin…
Radio Free Trumpistan
in reply to zl2tod • •@womble , you're my kinda person. I rear butterflies too, and I was going to chime in about the Red Admiral. Yes they are indeed in N. America but in declining numbers. other butters eat Stinging Nettle, as it happens, like the Comma and the Painted Lady. You'll be doing pollinators a big favor there.
The butters I've currently taken into protective custody are the Eastern Black Swallowtails, but I've reared others including the Monarch.
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in reply to Steve Canon • •Thank you but that's only a few of them.
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Radio Free Trumpistan
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan • •#Alt4U above is a photo of half of a pupation pen in which are mounted the overwintering pupae of Eastern Black Swallowtails waiting for spring to arrive. There are just as many chrysalides in the other half.
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Steve Canon
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan • • •Radio Free Trumpistan likes this.
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in reply to Steve Canon • •One major reason for overwintering them in a protected area is that mice will eat them when they find them. It's true of all types of chrysalides.
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zl2tod
in reply to Radio Free Trumpistan • • •@claralistensprechen5th
We are killing the ecosystem we rely on to survive, and the current US administration is doubling down on the destruction with avarice and greed, and despite all science.
Lunatics. Asylum.
@ai6yr @womble
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in reply to zl2tod • •Agreed indeed. I for one am bucking that current.
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Unknown parent • • •@Coho @NilaJones @thesquirrelfish
Tried finding a little more info without much luck, but did come across this warning for its use from MedicineNet.com presumed to be regarding ingestion.
Stinging nettle can cause side effects, such as skin irritation, sweating and stomach upset. It can cause increased uterine (womb) contractions and consequent miscarriage. Thus, it should be avoided in pregnant women. Older nettle leaves contain oxalate that may harm the kidneys. You must take your doctor’s opinion before using stinging nettle preparations in any form.
Coho
Unknown parent • • •Makes me want to drink a cup of nettle tea.
NilaJones
Unknown parent • • •I don't know! But it's an interesting question. I wonder if that's part of why it helps with arthritis and things like that, if it decreases mast cell activation
Hippy Steve
Unknown parent • • •is there an antihistamine effect from the sting? or just via ingestion?
Coho
Unknown parent • • •Nettles is a good antihistamine
NilaJones
Unknown parent • • •@thesquirrelfish @exador23 @Coho
It's an antihistamine. I've been taking it at bedtime for the past week for allergies.
MsMerope
in reply to AI6YR Ben • • •@exador23 @Coho @NilaJones @thesquirrelfish
...talk about coming in on the wrong end of a conversation...
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Unknown parent • • •NilaJones
Unknown parent • • •Have you tried rubbing Artemisia leaves on the itchy places? Works for me. I learned this from an old prospector, back in the day
Hippy Steve
in reply to NilaJones • • •@NilaJones @Coho @thesquirrelfish
Mugwort (artemisia) is a native american remedy for poison oak. Best thing is, the elders say they are usually growing near each other. While crushed mugwort leaves can provide some relief after poison oak exposure, they're even more effective as a preventative.
i.e. if you see one plant, the other is probably nearby. So grab a few leaves (responsibly, with respect to the plant nation. even ask it to help you), and rub over exposed skin to prevent or significantly reduce symptoms if you get some poison oak on you.
Coho
in reply to NilaJones • • •I find the one combination that actually really helps poison oak is a combination of nettles and the bioflavonoid quercetin. Nettles is an old topical remedy for arthritis, I wonder if it works like bee stings for arthritis?
Hippy Steve
in reply to AI6YR Ben • • •@NilaJones @Coho @thesquirrelfish
The smell is the clincher. It's like a sweeter, dreamier white sage kind of smell.
AI6YR Ben
Unknown parent • • •Coho
in reply to Hippy Steve • • •I've used mugwort for PO , and manzanita, they do relieve the itch for awhile, but bioflavonoid quercetin works like nothing else if you have a really bad case, kicks it out of the system in a few days.
How to avoid po altogether is as soon as you can wash with liquid dish, or laundry, detergent 3xs using cold water. Lather up rinse, repeat 3xs pat dry with a paper towel. I haven't had po in a decade
monkeyflower jelly bean
in reply to Coho • • •AI6YR Ben
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Unknown parent • • •moggie
Unknown parent • • •Since poison oak and poison ivy rashes are allergic reactions to urushiol, anything that works for allergic skin conditions should work on them. Of course, yeah, best to get it off your skin immediately as prevention.
And don't breathe the smoke if you ever encounter any of it in a fire. I knew someone who ended up in the hospital from doing that accidentally. Apparently it does to your lungs what it does to your skin.
Somehow I've managed to never have poison oak or poison ivy in spite of living in places where they were common. Either I've been very lucky or I happen to among the minority who don't react.
@NilaJones @ai6yr @thesquirrelfish @Coho @exador23
Douglas
in reply to AI6YR Ben • • •AI6YR Ben
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Unknown parent • • •NilaJones
Unknown parent • • •@exador23 @EverydayMoggie @thesquirrelfish @Coho
Oh I didn't know that! I use it for the itching (works on mosquito bites also) but I didn't know that it would also counteract stuff!
Coho
in reply to NilaJones • • •I'm enjoying this po thread
I read a book on the history of po
The first English botanists in the new world, took samples back to Europe, they thought it was pretty, and started cultivatng it. People started growing it. For awhile this disease took hold in England, with symptoms of a rash,. They called it "Hysterical House Wife Disease" it took them awhile to put two and two together that po was causing it
Hippy Steve
in reply to moggie • • •@EverydayMoggie @NilaJones @thesquirrelfish @Coho
Same for weed whacking poison oak. If you hire people for that, be sure to warn them and better yet provide them with N95s in case they don’t have respirators.
The beauty of mugwort is that it counteracts the urushiol and is available right there in the wild. So if rubbed on exposed skin as soon as you see it, it lessens the chance of developing a rash if you get exposed later and before you can get home and wash with soap and water.