Insect · GBIF taxon 1894840
Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticaeThe 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
Licensed 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 →
Diet & prey
- Adults 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
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderLepidoptera
- FamilyNymphalidae
- GenusAglais
- SpeciesAglais urticae
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- 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.
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Mystic Meadows
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