Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly Aglais urticae /(Nymphalis urticae)

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Bright orange with a sky-blue, dotted border and tiger-striped shoulders. The tattiest Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are usually seem early in the year, as early as February, having emerged from hibernation and the freshest individuals are often late in the year (October/November) having emerged from their chrysalis to feed up for hibernation.
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly top
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly side
The Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly is found throughout Europe and through most of Asia to the Far East.
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly underside
Small Tortoiseshell pair courting.
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly underside
With closed wings, the Small Tortoiseshell butterfly is well-camouflaged as a dead leaf.
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

It's relative, the Large Tortoiseshell is extinct in the UK but rarely appears as a migrant from continental Europe.
The Scarce (Yellow-legged) Tortoiseshell is from East Europe/Asia (see link below) and has also appeared as a migrant.



SMALL TORTOISESHELL CATERPILLAR:

Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillar
Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars
Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillar
Like Peacock butterfly caterpillars, Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars live their early life en masse in a silk web and feed on nettles. Both are at risk from parasitic flies/wasps.