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Small Tortoiseshell

Latin name:  Aglais urticae

Size:  Has a wingspan approximately 50mms.

Distribution:  Found throughout the UK.

Months seen:  March to late October.

Habitat:  Meadows, gardens, and waste ground with wild flowers.

Food:  Nectar.  The caterpillars feed on stinging nettles.

Special features:  This is one of the prettiest, and fortunately one of our commonest butterflies.  They're resident in Britain all year, and can be found almost anywhere.

They start laying eggs in spring, on the caterpillars food plant, stinging nettles.

The first brood of new butterflies appear in July.  These can go on to produce another generation which appear as late as October.  These late arrivals will hibernate through the winter in garden sheds and buildings, ready to re-emerge the following spring.

In Scotland the small tortoiseshell was formerly known as 'The Devils Butterfly'.

Related Pages

• Butterfly Section
• Aberrant Small Tortoiseshell
  This is an 'aberrant' form of the butterfly. The wing tips and wing edges are cream coloured. Some of the black patches and blue spots which are normally on the wings are missing. It's thought this is caused by high temperatures in the chrysalis stage - Photo © Copyright 2004 Dean Stables