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Matt Rowlings

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Nymphalis polychloros

Large Tortoiseshell

Vaud, Switzerland, March 2010

Valais, Switzerland, July 2008

Valais, Switzerland, March 2008

Valais, Switzerland, April 2007

Valais, Switzerland, March 2007

Valais, Switzerland, February 2007

Valais, Switzerland, March 2006

Valais, Switzerland, March 2006

Valais, Switzerland, March 2006

Valais, Switzerland, March 2006

Valais, Switzerland, March 2006

Valais, Switzerland, March 2005

Valais, Switzerland, April 2005

Valais, Switzerland, March 2005

Var, France, April 2003

One of the first butterflies on the wing

Provence, France, April 2004

Var, France, April 2003

NW Italy, June 2004

NW Italy, June 2004

Same butterfly as above feeding from small holes in tree trunk.
Upto 3 butterflies in a small area at any one time.

Var, France, August 2003

Unusual to find such a worn specimen late in summer.

This is a widespread species in Europe but with large gaps in its range. It used to be found in southern England where it was once, sometimes, locally common. It was always known to have extreme population explosions and collapses but it appears not to have recovered from the last collapse over 40 years ago. Now it is only recorded as, presumably, a very rare migrant as there is certainly no known colony. Elsewhere it can be found in low numbers as one of the first butterflies of spring following hibernation. It's large size helps distinguish it from the superficially similar Small Tortoiseshell, Aglais uritcae. A notable difference between the species in flight is the apparent ginger colour of polychloros, and the large black body/ basal area of urticae.

As with all the hibernating species, it is in spring that courting and mating occurs. The eggs are laid on very early growths of the foodplant so that by the end of spring, a new generation is on the wing. Usually this generation can be found from June through to August when it suddenly becomes rare or impossible to find - the butterflies avoid the heat of high summer by aestivating or "summer hibernating". Infact this turns into real hibernation without any further activity until the very earliest warm days of the following spring.

I've found the hibernated adults sunning themselves in March and April in the south of France and the fresh new generation taking salts from damp rock faces in Greece at the end of May. In eastern Europe we were paying particular attention to this species as it flies with 2 other extremely rare European species (Yellow Legged Tortoiseshell and False Comma, Nymphalis xanthomelas and N. vau-album) at the frontier of the former Soviet Union. We only found a single Nymphalis during our entire 2 week trip - polycholoros! Never mind. Apparently the Yellow Legged Tortoiseshell is currently well established in N Greece so I hope to find it there one day. As to the False Comma - who knows when, how or if.