Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
2009 photos highlighted in yellow. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 03_37-17_sex?_Beds, UK_15Aug03 | 4533_pair_Herts, UK_2Apr07 |
Urticae used to be very common, but seems noticeably less so in the last decade or two. One of my most vivid childhood memories is of urticae covering pink ice plants in local gardens. I have encountered urticae at very high altitudes of 2000m plus and with temperatures as low as 12C, when it has been the only butterfly on the wing (perhaps not surprisingly). Interestingly, urticae has much the same blue marginal marks the Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa). It occurs throughout France but is described by the Lafranchis France book as rare in the south-east and the Mediterranean region. I would concur with this, hence the lack of photographic opportunities.
In the UK, there has been a dramatic decline in the numbers and this has been the subject of considerable research in recent years to determine the cause. It is believed to be because of attacks by a tiny parasitic fly, Sturmia bella. More can be read here:
www.butterfly-conservation.org/article.asp?PageId=9&ArticleId=34
03_37-17: an old photo, but at least it does some justice to the beautiful colouring of this species.
4533: not a great photo, two rather battered hibernators emerging in the spring. I suspect that the female is the nearer, based partly on body shape but also the male of a mating pair always seems to be more battered. Altitude 70m.
