Aglais urticae (Linnaeus, 1758)
(Small Tortoiseshell)

Subtaxon Example images Rank Featured
subtaxa		 No of
images		 No of
ID refs
Aglais urticae ab. ichneusa
a small tortoisehell
Aberration 1 ident. refs
Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesAglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
TribeNymphalini (nymphalid butterflies)
SubfamilyNYMPHALINAE (nymphalid butterflies)
FamilyNYMPHALIDAE (brown, fritillary and vanessid butterflies)
SuperfamilyPAPILIONOIDEA (butterflies)
SuborderGLOSSATA (a suborder of moths)
OrderLEPIDOPTERA (butterflies and moths)
Division Endopterygota (bees, beetles, flies, moths and other insects with wings developing internally)
InfraclassNeoptera (bees, beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other advanced insects)
SubclassPTERYGOTA (bees, beetles, dragonflies, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other winged insects)
ClassINSECTA (true insects)
SubphylumHEXAPODA (insects and other 6-legged organisms)
PhylumARTHROPODA (arthropods)
SuperphylumECDYSOZOA (skin shedders)
CladeBilateria (bilaterally symmetrical animals)
SubkingdomEUMETAZOA (metazoans)
KingdomANIMALIA (animals)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell) :
1: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
27 Sep 2018 OSGR: SZ09 50° 50’ N, 1° 60’ W Vice County: Dorset (VC 9) England
full grown caterpillar, swept off Nettles. Parasitised by the tachinid fly, *Sturmia bella*
Image 1: Caterpillar - dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 2: Caterpillar - dorsal view - natural background (2)Image 3: Caterpillar - dorsal view - natural background (3)Image 4: Caterpillar - dorsal view - natural background (4)Image 5: Caterpillar - dorsal view - natural background (5)Image 6: Caterpillar - dorso-lateral view - natural backgroundImage 7: Caterpillar - lateral view - natural backgroundImage 8: Caterpillar - lateral view - natural background (2)Image 9: Caterpillar - latero-dorsal view - natural backgroundImage 10: Pupa with *Sturmia bella* exit wound - lateral view - silver backgroundImage 11: *Sturmia bella* (tachinid fly) puparium that emerged from the pupa - enlarged - silver backgroundImage 12: Caterpillar - defensive position - enlarged - natural backgroundImage 13: Pupa - antero-dorsal view - enlargedImage 14: Pupa - lateral view - enlargedImage 15: Pupa - postero-dorsal view - enlargedImage 16: Pupa - ventral view - enlarged
2: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
19 Aug 2013 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
visiting Buddleia
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view
3: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
18 Aug 2013 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
basking on patio
Image 1: Adult - on patio - wings openImage 2: Adult - on patio - wings open (2)Image 3: Adult - on patio - wings together
4: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
3 Jul 2008 OSGR: TA08 54° 10’ N, 0° 30’ W Vice County: North-east Yorks (VC 62) England
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view - close-up
5: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
15 Mar 2004 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
hibernating in garage, moving around at 10pm
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view - wings open - pale backgroundImage 2: Adult - dorsal view - wings open - pale background (2)Image 3: Adult - dorsal view - wings open - pale background (3)Image 4: Adult - underside view - wings together - pale backgroundImage 5: Top view - wings and antenna - enlarged - pale backgroundImage 6: Top view - wings - enlarged - pale background
6: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
4 Aug 2003 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
at flowers of Buddleia
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view - wings up
7: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
2 Aug 2003 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
at Buddleia flowers
Image 1: Adult - underside viewImage 2: Adult - underside view (2)Image 3: Adult - underside view - light showing through
8: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
20 Jul 2003 OSGR: SU56 51° 20’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
on Buddleia flowers
Image 1: Adult - anterior viewImage 2: Adult - anterior view (2)
9: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
1 Jul 1978 OSGR: SU73 51° 10’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England
Larvae, on Nettle - reared to adults
Image 1: A. Young larvae in communal web - on Nettle (1 July)Image 2: B. Larva - on Nettle (1 July)Image 3: C. Larva - on Nettle (1 July) - enlargedImage 4: D. Larva - side view (9 July) - enlargedImage 5: E. Larva - side view (9 July) - enlargedImage 6: F. Larva - side view (9 July) - enlargedImage 7: G. Larva - top view (9 July) - enlargedImage 8: H. Larva - preparing to pupate- side view (9 July) - enlargedImage 9: I. Larva - preparing to pupate (3 Jul) - enlargedImage 10: J. Pupa - one day old - top view (4 July) - enlargedImage 11: K. Pupa - one day old - side view (4 July) - enlargedImage 12: L. Pupa - three day old - side view (6 July) - enlargedImage 13: M. Pupa - dorsal view (10 July) - enlargedImage 14: N. Pupa - lateral view (10 July) - enlargedImage 15: P. Pupa - prior to emergence (16 July) - enlarged
10: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
17 Jul 1976 OSGR: SU93 51° 10’ N, 0° 40’ W Vice County: Surrey (VC 17) England
Visiting Buddleia
Image 1: Adult - dorsal view - wings openImage 2: Adult - dorsal view - wings open (2)Image 3: Adult - underside view - wings apartImage 4: Adult - wings apart
11: Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
6 Apr 1969 OSGR: TQ21 50° 60’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England
Hibernated adult
Image 1: Hibernated adult in weak April sunshine

Identification Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Clark, H. 2003 Hibernating Small Tortoiseshells Vol 14, No. 4 Page: 280
Revels, R. 2008 Small Tortoiseshell Vol 20, No. 1 Page: 53

Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 7 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Aglais urticae (Small Tortoiseshell)
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