Beech Leaf Miner vs small tortoiseshell

Orchestes fagi compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Beech Leaf Miner is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Beech Leaf Miner	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Coleoptera (Beetles)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Curculionidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Orchestes	Aglais
Species	Orchestes fagi	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Beech Leaf Miner and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Beech Leaf Miner

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Beech Leaf Miner	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Beech Leaf Miner

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (Canada).

small tortoiseshell

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Beech Leaf Miner

The Beech Leaf Miner (Orchestes fagi) is a species in the genus Orchestes. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

small tortoiseshell

small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List. Close to qualifying as threatened, with populations that may become vulnerable without conservation action.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden