Switzerland, March 2012
Switzerland, March 2014
Switzerland, March 2016
Switzerland, March 2018
Switzerland, March 2014
Switzerland, March 2013
Switzerland, March 2018
Switzerland, April 2013
Switzerland, March 2012
Large
Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis
polychloros
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Switzerland, March 2006
Resting among leaves, March 2006
Switzerland, March 2006
Switzerland, March 2009
Switzerland, April 2005
Suffolk, UK, 1985
Suffolk, UK, 1985
Caterpillar on cherry, Switzerland, June 2017
Caterpillars on cherry, Switzerland, June 2017
Caterpillar on cherry, Switzerland, June 2017
Distribution
Note: Kudrna gives recent records for large tortoiseshell all over
England and Scotland but it
is nevertheless an extremely rare vagrant, not known for certain to
breed anywhere in the UK
This is a common butterfly through most of its range, though
officially extinct in the British Isles since the mid-20th century.
There are tantalising suggestions it might have regained a foothold in
the extreme south of England but to the best of my knowledge,
unassisted breeding has not been proven. Like the Camberwell beauty, it
is far more easily seen in the spring, from March until May, than in
the summer, when fresh adults either go rapidly into hibernation or
disperse. Hibernated adults emerge soon after the first small
tortoiseshells and males quickly begin the job of defending
territories, interspersed with avid feeding on early spring blossom,
like sallow blossom. For some weeks in March and April it is difficult
to go butterfly-watching in Switzerland without coming across large
tortoiseshells. Females lay their eggs in batches on the stems of
foodplants, using a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Sallow is common.
The only caterpillars I have found have been on cherry.
There is no real chance of mistaking a large tortoiseshell for
a
small tortoiseshell, though in the UK in particular, many small
tortoiseshells are over-enthusiastically identified as large by
observers who have never seen the real thing. Large tortoiseshells are
supremely aerobatic butterflies, large and graceful, given to swooping
and gliding when prospecting their territories or checking out an
intruder. Small tortoiseshells, by contrast, motor around, rarely
gliding and rarely swooping either. If confirmation is needed, note the
pattern of four spots in an inverted Y on the forewing of large
tortoiseshell. There are only three spots in this position in a small
tortoiseshell. In many ways, commas are closer in appearance and
behaviour to large tortoiseshells, but size and a glimpse of the
butterfly at rest should be sufficient to avoid confusion here. In
eastern Europe, the yellow-legged (or scarce) tortoiseshell, Nymphalis xanthomelas
is very much more similar, and this species has had westerly invasions
in recent years so is worth keeping an eye open for. The yellow-legged
tortoiseshell, as its name suggests, has buff or yellow legs. The
upperside is subtly different. It is a brighter red/orange and has a
broader and rather diffuse submarginal band on the hindwing . The
postdiscal spots on the forewing are larger and less rounded - square
or concave outwardly.