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Nymphalis xanthomelas / Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell
Këmbëverdha
Nymphalidae - Nymphalinae
Nymphalis xanthomelas ([Dennis & Schiffermüller], 1775). TL: Germany, Austria.
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1a. Nymphalis xanthomelas, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Nymphalis xanthomelas upperside, Mali me Gropa, Albania (© Stoyan Beshkov)
1c. Nymphalis xanthomelas upperside, Mali me Gropa, Albania (© Stoyan Beshkov)
1d. Nymphalis xanthomelas underside, Mali me Gropa, Albania (© Stoyan Beshkov)
1e. Nymphalis xanthomelas upperside, Skenderbej, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Nymphalis xanthomelas underside, Skenderbej, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1g. Habitat of Nymphalis xanthomelas. Skenderbej, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1h. Habitat of Nymphalis xanthomelas. Qarrishtë, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1i. Habitat of Nymphalis xanthomelas. Skenderbej, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1j. Nymphalis xanthomelas, young caterpillar. Sweden (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1k. Nymphalis xanthomelas, full grown caterpillars. Sweden (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Large butterfly. Fw: 30-32 mm.
Pale yellowish hairs on palpi and legs.
Ups: orange brown gc, black markings, pale lunules enclosed in dark marginal border.
Upf: s1b black dot.
Uph: no contrasting basal area, blue submarginal lunules, black submarginal band wide with diffuse inner margin.
Uns: brown to blue-black basal area, postdiscal area paler.
♀♀
Slightly larger, similar markings.
Similar species
Nymphalis polychloros
Size: similar.
Upf:  black dot in s1b.
Upf:  dusted (basal) orange-brown gc.
Uph:dusted orange-brown gc.
Uph:  pale orange area, internal of sm band.
Unf: brown gc.
Legs:  black.
Aglais urticae
Size: smaller.
Upf:  no black dot in s1b.
Upf:orange-red gc.
Uph:contrasting black basal area.
Uph: sharp black border, internal of sm band.
Unf: pale yellow discal and pd area.
Legs: black.
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Life cycle
Adults: from early spring to April after overwintering, single generation from June to September.
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: 1-2 months.
Pupa: 2-3 weeks.
Habitat
Nymphalis xanthomelas inhabits sunny open spaces in moist deciduous forests from lowland up to 1700 m a.s.l., nomadic specimens can be found even higher.
Spatial requirement high, population density can be moderate, nomadic and some years migrating.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Populus nigra, P. tremula, Salix sp., also mentioned are Ulmus sp. and Celtis australis.
Butterflies feed on catkins of flowering willows (spring) and fluid from wounds of trees, rotten animals and faeces (summer), mud-puddling.
Distribution
Albania: very local, no recent records and at the southern limit of its distribution range in the Balkan peninsula.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA* - EEU (migrating at the western range)
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.
Conservation status
Nymphalis xanthomelas is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: DD.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: NA.
Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
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