Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas)

Photo © Peter Eeles

Family	Nymphalidae
Subfamily	Nymphalinae
Genus	Nymphalis
Species	xanthomelas
Authority	([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
English Name	Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell

European Red List 2010	Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2010	Near Threatened (NT)
European Red List 2025	Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 Red List 2025	Least Concern (LC)
Habitats Directive
Bern Convention
CITES

Description

The Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell occurs in lowland woodland in Eastern Europe, in damp, deciduous woods growing on flood plains, or on the wooded banks of streams and rivers. Different trees are used as foodplants, including willows (Salix spp.), poplars (Populus spp.), elms (Ulmus spp.), and Nettle Tree (Celtis australis). Until nearly fully-grown, the caterpillars inhabit large communal nests, which they spin in branches that hang over the water. The Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell hibernates as a butterfly hidden away in such places as hollow trees or wood piles. It is single-brooded.

Distribution

Albania / Austria / Belarus / Belgium (Irregular Vagrant) / Belgium: Flanders (Irregular Vagrant) / Belgium: Wallonia (Irregular Vagrant) / Bosnia and Herzegovina (Possibly Present) / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Denmark (Regular Migrant) / Estonia / Finland / France (Irregular Vagrant) / France: Mainland (Irregular Vagrant) / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Hungary / Latvia / Lithuania / North Macedonia / Moldova / Montenegro (Irregular Vagrant) / Netherlands (Irregular Vagrant) / Norway (Irregular Vagrant) / Poland / Romania / European Russia / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia (Regionally Extinct) / Sweden / European Türkiye / Ukraine / United Kingdom (Irregular Vagrant) / United Kingdom: Great Britain (Irregular Vagrant) /

Larval Foodplants