SM8835 : Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)

near to St Nicholas, Pembrokeshire/Sir Benfro, Great Britain

Small tortoiseshell  (Aglais urticae)
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
A hitherto very common butterfly seen here resting on an upturned boat. This specimen is looking very frayed around the edges. The main food plant of its larvae is the stinging nettle.
The numbers of the Small Tortoise have fallen by as much as 80% in the last 20 years in parts of the British Isles. This is thought to be due to a parasitic fly which has moved here from southern Europe. First recorded in 1999, the Sturmia Bella larvae parasitize the caterpillars when they eat the fly eggs also laid on nettles. Adult flies emerge from the chrysalis.
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SM8835, 14 images   (more nearby - lo-fi)
Photographer
ceridwen   (find more nearby)
Image classification
Supplemental image
Date Taken
Friday, 29 August, 2008   (more nearby)
Submitted
Saturday, 6 September, 2008
Category
Butterfly   (more nearby)
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SM 884 351 [100m precision]
WGS84: 51:58.4393N 5:4.9039W
Photographer Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SM 884 351
View Direction
Northwest (about 315 degrees)
Clickable map
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