Large Tortoiseshell

Large Tortoiseshell
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Tribe:	Nymphalini
Genus:	Nymphalis
Species:	N. polychloros
Binomial name
Nymphalis polychloros (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Blackleg Tortoiseshell or Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Although it looks very like the Small Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis urticae), it is more closely related to the Camberwell Beauty. It is now an extreme rarity in Britain, although it used to be widespread throughout England and Wales. Most of the specimens seen in Britain are thought to be captive-bred releases.

The adult insect (imago) over-winters in dry dark places, such as hollow trees or out buildings. In late February or early March the butterflies emerge and mate. The females lay their pale green eggs (ova) in a continuous band around the upper twigs of Elm (Ulmus spp.) or Sallow (Salix caprea) trees. The caterpillars (larvae) are gregarious, and systematically strip the topmost twigs of the tree bare. They seem to have little defence against predation by birds. It is possible that their decline and extinction in the British Isles (late 1970s) was due to the loss of predatory birds, which previously had preyed upon smaller birds if they strayed to the tops of these trees.

The full grown larva spins a silk girdle around a twig further down the tree, and hangs from this by means of hooks (cremasta) at its rear end, to pupate. The chrysalis (pupa) is greyish-brown with a slight silvery sheen. There is only one generation per year, and the imagos emerging in mid summer seek out sources high in sugar to feed. Tree sap and damaged ripe fruits are particularly suitable sources.

The related Camberwell Beauty (Nymphalis antiopa) can be over-wintered in exactly the same way, but will not mate in confinement.

James Bond, played by George Lazenby, correctly identifies the species in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

This Nymphalinae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Nymphalis Butterflies and moths of Europe British butterflies Animals described in 1758 Nymphalinae stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую Paul K. Keene The Fallen Idol (film) Look at other dictionaries: large tortoiseshell — noun The butterfly Nymphalis polychloros …   Wiktionary Tortoiseshell cat — A tortoiseshell cat. Long …   Wikipedia Nymphalis — Compton Tortoiseshell, N. vaualbum, Temagami, Ontario, Canada Scientific classification Kingdom …   Wikipedia Nymphalis xanthomelas — Scarce Tortoiseshell Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum …   Wikipedia List of Estonian butterflies — This is a list of butterfly species recorded in Estonia (excluded are the species not encountered during the past 100 years). Hesperiidae – Skippers*Dingy Skipper Erynnis tages *Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae *Olive Skipper Pyrgus serratulae… …   Wikipedia List of butterflies of Great Britain — This is a list of butterflies of Great Britain, past and present (and dubious). Note that details on specific species are relevant to the GB populations and some details may not be consistent with the species in other parts of its range. Species… …   Wikipedia List of Lepidoptera that feed on elms — Elms ( Ulmus spp.) are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species including:MonophagousSpecies that feed exclusively on Ulmus * Bucculatricidae ** Bucculatrix albedinella ** Bucculatrix eclecta ** Bucculatrix ulmifoliae… …   Wikipedia Grande tortue — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Grande et Tortue (homonymie). Grande tortue ou …   Wikipédia en Français List of extinct animals of the British Isles — This is a list of extinct animals of the British Isles. Only a small number of these are globally extinct, most famously the Irish Elk, Great Auk and Woolly Mammoth. Most of the remainder survive to some extent outside the British Isles. The list …   Wikipedia Vanesse du saule — Vanesse du saule …   Wikipédia en Français 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”