Things With Wings
UK wildlife photography community at thingswithwings.uk — loading the latest sightings…
🦋
Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae
2 photos
·2 photographers
·Common · 1 ptsCommon nettle feeder with bright orange-and-black wings.
2 community photos of Small Tortoiseshell from 2 photographers on Things With Wings. Top-rated shots often use around 1/369ss shutter, 9mm.
Species Profile
Amber List (species of conservation concern due to long-term decline, though still relatively common)
- Lifespan
- 10–11 months in the wild, with adults overwintering and living into the following spring
- Size & Weight
- Wingspan 32–35 mm
- Habitat
- Gardens, parks, hedgerows, and rough ground with nettles; found in both urban and rural areas across the UK.
- UK Distribution
- Widespread and common throughout mainland Britain and Ireland; resident year-round, with populations supplemented by migratory individuals from continental Europe in autumn.
- Diet
- Adults feed on flower nectar, particularly teasel, buddleia, and lavender; also drink from rotting fruit, tree sap, and muddy ground. Caterpillars feed exclusively on common nettles (Urtica dioica).
- Predators
- Birds (particularly blue tits and great tits), spiders, and small mammals; parasitic flies and wasps attack caterpillars.
- Mating Season
- April to September, with peak activity in May and June
- Breeding
- Females lay eggs in clusters of 60–150 on nettle leaves; caterpillars are gregarious and heavily spined; typically two broods per year, occasionally three in southern England.
- Behaviour
Sources and editorial status
The short identification summary comes from the Things With Wings species catalogue. The extended species profile is AI-assisted and has not been individually reviewed by a wildlife expert, so verify important identification or conservation details with the specialist sources below.
Profile generated 22 June 2026
Spotted an error? Tell us so it can be corrected.
Community Sightings by Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Camera Settings (top photos)
Shutter
1/369ss
ISO Range
32
Aperture
f/f/2.8
Focal Length
9mm
