Large Tortoiseshell Caterpillar
(Nymphalis polychloros)
Once generally distributed throughout England and Wales, the Large Tortoiseshell is now thought to be extinct in the UK, and of the few specimens that are occasionally recorded, most are probably captive-bred releases. It has always been a butterfly whose numbers have fluctuated greatly, but is now more than 60 years since it appeared in large numbers and it seems unlikely the species will ever recover.
A butterfly of woodland edges and hedgerows that abound in elms, willows and poplars, it was already a rarity when Dutch Elm Disease appeared; this could only have worsened its plight. The Large Tortoiseshell is first seen in spring, after hibernating in hollow trees and log piles. A single brood is then produced which is on the wing in July and August. It is a powerful flier that visits a variety of flowers, but it especially likes the sap that oozes from tree wounds.
Large Tortoiseshell Caterpillar
(Nymphalis polychloros)
Once generally distributed throughout England and Wales, the Large Tortoiseshell is now thought to be extinct in the UK, and of the few specimens that are occasionally recorded, most are probably captive-bred releases. It has always been a butterfly whose numbers have fluctuated greatly, but is now more than 60 years since it appeared in large numbers and it seems unlikely the species will ever recover.
A butterfly of woodland edges and hedgerows that abound in elms, willows and poplars, it was already a rarity when Dutch Elm Disease appeared; this could only have worsened its plight. The Large Tortoiseshell is first seen in spring, after hibernating in hollow trees and log piles. A single brood is then produced which is on the wing in July and August. It is a powerful flier that visits a variety of flowers, but it especially likes the sap that oozes from tree wounds.