Fauna
Insect

Small Tortoiseshell

Aglais urticae

The Small Tortoiseshell is an orange butterfly patterned with black, yellow, and blue-edged wing markings. Adults visit many flowers and may overwinter in sheltered, cool spaces.

Nettle ButterflyOverwintering AdultBlue Wing Spots
Small Tortoiseshell reference
(c) Jörg Hempel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAdults drink nectar; caterpillars feed primarily on nettle leaves
Predators
  • Birds
  • Spiders
  • Parasitoid wasps
ThreatsPesticides, drought, host-plant removal, and changing seasonal weather
HabitatsGardens, farmland, woodland edges, grassland, roadsides, and towns
Life spanAdults may survive 10 months when overwintering
Classification
  1. OrderLepidoptera
  2. FamilyNymphalidae
  3. GenusAglais
  4. SpeciesAglais urticae
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Do not wake or move adults resting in cool winter shelters.
Responsible observation
  • Wings: Look for the neat row of blue crescents along the margins.
  • Winter: Leave dormant butterflies undisturbed in cool outbuildings.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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Mystic Meadows

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