This large butterfly looks like a larger, duller version of the Small Tortoiseshell. Its habits are like those of the Camberwell Beauty as it is found in deciduous wooded areas and has a tendency to wander. It was formerly a resident of southern Britain but its status now is unclear and like northern Germany, Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, the population seems to have declined severely. It is still relatively common elsewhere however. Compared to the similar Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell it has dark brown legs and the upperside is a rusty shade of orange, rather than a brighter reddish-orange.
Distribution: Most of Europe but absent from much of Fennoscandia, Britain and Ireland and the Balearic islands.
Flight Period: May-July, with post-hibernation individuals appearing March-April.
Habitat: Woodland clearings and margins, mature scrub up to 1700m.
Foodplants: Primarily elms (Ulnus) but also willows (Salix), poplars (Populus), apples (Malus) and birches (Betula).
Nectar Sources: Rarely takes nectar from flowers but will visit tree sap.
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- Large Tortoiseshell (reared) June 2017
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- Large Tortoiseshell Larvae (reared) June 2017
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- Downy Birch, Betula pubescens, a larval foodplant.
