- Aglais milberti
-
Milbert's Tortoiseshell 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Nymphalidae Genus: Aglais Species: A. milberti Binomial name Aglais milberti
(Godart, 1819)Subspecies - Aglais milberti milberti
- Aglais milberti furcillata (Say, 1825)
- Aglais milberti viola (dos Passos, 1938)
- Aglais milberti pullum (Austin, 1998)
Synonyms - Vanessa milberti
- Nymphalis milberti
Milbert's Tortoiseshell (Aglais milberti), also known as the Fire-rim Tortoiseshell, is the only species of Aglais that occurs in North America.
Contents
Description
Ventral view
The wingspan is between 4.2 and 6.3 cm and the forewing's tips are squared off. The upperside is black with wide orange submarginal bands; this orange slightly fades to yellow near the inner edge. Both wings have narrow black marginal borders; the hindwing may have blue spots.
Behaviour
This is a quick species that flits rapidly around woodland roads. When it lands it may open its wings, often on trees or rocks.
Range and Habitat
Milbert's Tortoiseshell's range includes all of Canada and Alaska south of the tundra, all of the western United States and most of the eastern United States. In these areas they commonly occur in wet areas, including moist pastures, marshes, most trails and roadsides.
Life cycle
There are two broods from May to October. During this time adults mate and lay eggs. The female will lay her eggs in bunches of up to 900 individuals on the underside of the host plant's leaves. Early-instar caterpillars eat together in a web, but later instars feed alone. They hibernate as adults, often in small congregations. Adults have been known to mate in low-elevation watercourses in arid regions.
Larval foods
- Urtica dioica – Stinging Nettle
- Urtica procera – Tall Nettle
Adult foods
References
- Kaufman, Kenn; Brock, Jim P. (2003). "Tortoiseshells". Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. pp. 200. ISBN 978-0-618-76826-4.
- "Species Detail Milbert's Tortoiseshell". http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1766. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- "Nymphalis". http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/nymphalinae/nymphalis/index.html#milberti. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- "Species Aglais milberti - Milbert's Tortoiseshell". http://bugguide.net/node/view/30387. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- Milbert's Tortoiseshell, Butterflies of Canada
Categories:- Butterflies and moths of North America
- Butterflies of Canada
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