Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Ruán Beag
| Irish name: | Ruán Beag |
| See it in: | March – May, with a second wave from June to September |
| Biodiversity Ireland Species Profile: | Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly |
This attractive, reddish-brown butterfly can be seen on the wing in August. It has black markings on the wings and blue spots around the edges. The females lay their eggs on nettles. These will hatch into black caterpillars with yellow stripes and marks and tufts of spines to deter predators. These will pupate to become butterflies. These butterflies will hibernate until the spring. They sometimes find their way into houses and often favour hiding behind curtains. This one was photographed today (9th August 2023), in my garden in Tuckmilltown. It is imbibing nectar from an oregano plant.