Last Updated on April 6, 2026 11:41 AM by Miroslav Maric
English name:
Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell
Full scientific name:
Nymphalis xanthomelas (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Croatian name:
Žutonoga riđa
Flight Period and Life Cycle
1 brood per year. Overwinters as imago.
Distribution in Croatia
Check the included map and literature ref below.
External Morphology Characteristics
The underside of the wings is a deep brown color, featuring a striking bright band located in the postdiscal zone. The upper side of both wings is reddish-orange with dark spots. The broad marginal band is distinctive. Near the apex there are small bright white spots. On the upper side of the hindwing, in S5-S7 zones, there is a dark spot.
Behavior
It often feeds on juices on the ground and rarely on the nectar of flowers.
Caterpillar Host Plants
Salix species.
Habitat
Woodland and woodland clearances. Elevations: 0-1000m.
Gallery
Literature
Lorković Z.: The Rhopalocera Fauna of Croatia with Special Respect to the Fauna of Plitvice Lakes, Entomol. Croat., (2009)