Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros)

Picture of Large Tortoiseshell
© Eddie John

The Large Tortoiseshell was once widespread in southern Britain but declined to extinction by the 1980s. It is a woodland butterfly whose larvae feed mainly on Elm (Ulmus) spp. It is still common in some parts of Europe, but declining in others. There continue to be sporadic records in Britain, but these are largely considered to be of specimens released from reared stock rather than immigrants. (For further details on this species see http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/).


Family: Nymphalidae

Status: Insufficient information

Status details:Insufficient information

Log collated index plot

blank LCI plot - no data available

This chart shows the index of abundance (LCI = Log Collated Index) over time. It shows fluctuations in populations from year to year, and is scaled so that the average index over the whole series is equal to 2 (horizontal line). For greater detail about how this index is derived, click on the green question mark above.

Trend description:
There are no records of this butterfly on BMS transects.

Species distribution map">

This map shows the distribution between 1995 and 1999. Data is derived from the Butterflies for the New Millenium dataset via the NBN Gateway (www.searchnbn.net).

Phenology plot
Species Phenology Plot

Phenology plot

This chart shows the average number of butterflies seen on transects between Arpil and October. The black line gives average counts over the full BMS series (1976 to date) and the red line gives the average for the last year.

blank abundance map - no data available

Abundance

This map shows symbols for the mean abundance at transect sites, with the size of symbol reflecting the level of abundance. Means are over all years.


Coverage

Insufficient information

Links to counts

1977, 1978
1992, 1993, 1997

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