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Field guide · Denmark
Brush-footed butterflies · Denmark

Yellow-legged tortoiseshell

Nymphalis xanthomelas

Yellow-legged tortoiseshell is rare in Denmark. The wingspan is 52-68 mm. Yellow-legged tortoiseshell can be found year-round, as it already begins to hatch in July, and (overwintering) individuals can be found as late as June of the following year, as worn individuals. The habitat is open areas in deciduous forest.

Status in this countryRare in DenmarkNA (Not applicable)
Yellow-legged tortoiseshell

Flight period

Yellow-legged tortoiseshell can be found year-round, as it already begins to hatch in July, and (overwintering) individuals can be found until June of the following year, as worn individuals. The larva can be found from May to August.

Habitat

The habitat is open areas in deciduous woodland. The only known Danish population lives in a wetland area with willow and birch and large, open clearings.

Identifying features

Wingspan is 52-68 mm. Both forewings and hindwings have scattered black spots and yellow-orange areas.

Similar species

Yellow-legged tortoiseshell can easily be confused with large tortoiseshell. The safest and easiest way to distinguish them is that large tortoiseshell has black-brown legs, whereas Yellow-legged tortoiseshell has light-yellow ones.

Distribution

Denmark represents Yellow-legged tortoiseshell, which is primarily a very rare occurrence, originating from the east and southeast. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the species has the greatest chance of being found in the southern and eastern regions of the country.

Biology

Yellow-legged tortoiseshell spends most of the day flying among the treetops, but also spends a great deal of time basking in the sun on rocks and trunks, or sucking sap from injured trees. It is not uncommon to see it directly on the ground, where it absorbs minerals from moist soil.