Field studies revealed the nettle caterpillar, Latoia ( = Parasa) viridissima, to be multivoltine with four discrete generations a year. The maximum egg (1800/100 fronds) and larval (1500/100 fronds) densities were attained in April/May 1980. The pupal population was generally low; the highest recorded density of 54/100 fronds was attained in March 1980 during the first generation.
Samples of larvae and pupae from the field were attacked by parasitoids in the families Bombyliidae, Braconidae, Chalcididae, Chrysididae, Eulophidae, Ichneumonidae and Tachinidae. These contributed to mortalities ranging from 6 to 30%, but their combined action with microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) accounted for 28–65% mortality of the insect.