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Small tortoiseshell
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Small tortoiseshell

Small Tortoiseshell, 
Aglais urticae. 

Unfortunately, this most-familiar of butterflies has suffered a worrying decline, especially in the south, over the last few years. One theory is the increasing presence of a particular parasitic fly, Sturmia bella, due to global warming. It is believed that the lifecycle of the Small Tortoiseshell is better-synchronised with that of the fly and it is therefore more prone to parasitism.