The Small Tortoiseshell

Description



Distribution




Life cycle

Here is a Small Tortoiseshell casting a long shadow. This photo is of a June adult, only moderately worn and in pretty good condition, so should, I think, be one the early individuals of the first summer generation that will breed and then die within a month or two, giving rise to the second, over-wintering generation.

Now this is another, seen along the Bourne Valley on the same day, but this one is in near pristine condition. The blue flashes near the wing edges and the double lines on the wing edges themselves are much clearer, and the thorax/abdomen shows almost zero damage!

Bourne Valley, 12-06-2014

Oddities



Predators and parasites