5 things to know about nettles

• LEAVES and young shoots of annual and perennial nettles can be eaten when cooked – pour boiling water over them to neutralise their sting.

• BREWED leaves make a refreshing beer.

• THEY'VE been used for hundreds of years for medicinal reasons for muscle and joint pain, eczema, arthritis, gout, and anaemia.

• THEY'RE still used in herbal remedies for urinary tract infections, hay fever, and in compresses or creams for joint pain, sprains, strains, tendonitis, and insect bites.

• NETTLES are an important part of the diet of some butterfly species, especially red and yellow admirals.