BUTTERFLY - Small Tortoiseshell

The Small Tortoiseshell (aglais utricae) is a common butterfly, and probably the most recognised butterfly in the UK and Ireland. It is a medium size but has a really distinctive wing pattern, with yellow and white bars, blue dots and blended aresas of black and orange.

Despite it's popularity, its numbers have been reducing for several years. A study in 2024 showed their numbers had reduced across the UK by 82% since 1976. Strangely, Northern Ireland has seen the opposite trend, withe numbers of the specfies gradually increasing. This may be because claimat change has increased temperatures outside it's preferred range more in South-East England than in Northern Ireland.

It's main larvae foodstuff is nettles, which makes this capture a perfect one, as an adult is seen feeding on a thistle flower, against a backdrop of nettles. This is in a wild area of hedgerow beside our chickens - which tend to eat everything apart from the thistles and nettles!