127 



THE NETTLE TORTOISE-SHELL BUTTERFLY. 



Papilio Urticts BRITAIN. 



PLATE in. 



Papilio Urticae, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 777. No. 167. 

 WiWs Pap. 56. pi. 3. a. 5. Vanessa Urticae, LatreiUe. 



THIS is one of the most beautiful papilionaceous 

 insects of Britain. The ground colour of its wings is 

 red, the upper wings are marked with alternate 

 abbreviate bands of black and pale orange, or golden 

 yellow, on the exterior margin. There are three black 

 spots on each wing, and mottled at top, the under 

 one large, oval, with a yellow spot at its base ; the 

 posterior margins of both superior and inferior wings 

 have a broad black band, edged with yellow at their 

 outer extremity, and, in their centre, a catenated 

 fascia of blue ; these margins are considerably 

 indented ; body, head, and antennae, black ; the 

 former being thickly set with dark brown hairs ; 

 lower edge of the segments, brown. 



The Papilio urticce makes its first appearance in a 

 winged state about the middle of April. It is a short 

 lived insect ; it lays its eggs in the beginning of May 

 in great numbers on the higher stalks of nettles, and 

 dies very shortly afterwards. 



