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Species Aglais milberti - Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies (excluding skippers))
Family Nymphalidae (Brushfooted Butterflies)
Subfamily Nymphalinae (Crescents, Checkerspots, Anglewings, etc.)
Genus Aglais (Tortoiseshells)
Species milberti (Milbert's Tortoiseshell)
Other Common Names Fire-rim Tortoiseshell Synonyms and other taxonomic changes Nymphalis milberti
BugGuide follows the classification of Opler and Warren and All-Leps in transferring Milbert's Tortoiseshell from Nymphalis to Aglais (see discussion in Taxonomy Forum) Numbers fairly common in most of its range
numbers do not fluctuate as greatly from year to year as does the California Tortoiseshell [Butterflies of Canada, CBIF]
the only resident species in this genus in North America; the other species listed at All-Leps was a specimen of the European Aglais urticae collected in Nova Scotia on 7 November 1970 after it flew out of a box that had recently been sent from England (see account of Small Tortoiseshell at CBIF) Identification Adult: forewing tip squared-off; upperside black with wide orange submarginal band grading to yellow at inner edge of band; two orange patches along costa in dark basal area; narrow black marginal border on both wings; hindwing border may contain some blue spots
underside dark brown in basal area and lighter brown toward the margins
Larva: mature stage black with branching spines on back and sides; middorsal row of spines begins on abdominal segment two; young larvae heavily speckled with small white flecks and orange spots that form broken subdorsal line; broken yellow lateral line along each side Range all of Canada and Alaska south of the tundra, all of western United States, plus northeastern US (absent from SC, GA, and the gulf states from Florida to Texas) Habitat wet areas near woodlands, moist pastures, marshes, woodland trails and roads Season adults fly from April to October, with two or possibly three overlapping generations Food larvae feed on stinging nettles (Urtica spp.)
adults feed mostly on sap, rotting fruit, and animal dung, but are also seen nectaring on flowers Life Cycle two or three overlapping generations per year; eggs laid in large batches of up to 900 on underside of foodplant leaves; young larvae live in communal nests on the foodplant; mature larvae live singly in folded leaf-nests; overwinters as an adult, sometimes in small groups Remarks A quick, active species that flits rapidly about its territory, often along a woodland road. It regularly alights on the ground or on a rock or tree with its wings spread flat. Specimens emerging from hibernation in the spring are usually quite pale and worn. [from Butterflies of Canada, CBIF] See Also Compton Tortoiseshell is superficially similar
in the west, California Tortoiseshell is somewhat similar Internet References pinned adult image plus US distribution map, description, biology, flight season, food, and habitat (Butterflies and Skippers of North America, nearctica.com)
pinned and live adult images plus description, subspecies, biology, flight season, food, and habitat (Butterflies of Canada, CBIF)
pinned adult image plus various information (G.G. Anweiler, U. of Alberta)
classification and synonyms plus common name reference [Fire-rim Tortoiseshell], food plant, live adult images, links to several web sites, literature references (Markku Savela, FUNET)
North American Butterfly Association includes early instar larval images
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