Common barley vs small tortoiseshell

Hordeum vulgare compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

Common barley is Not Evaluated while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common barley	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Hordeum	Aglais
Species	Hordeum vulgare	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Common barley

NE — Not Evaluated

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common barley	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common barley

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Sao Tome and Principe), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries).

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.

Common barley

Common barley (<em>Hordeum vulgare</em>) is one of the world's oldest and most widely cultivated cereal grasses, with a cosmopolitan distribution spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. It thrives in a diverse range of habitats including grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated agricultural fields, demonstrating remarkable ecological adaptability. As a domesticated crop plant, <em>Hordeum vulgare</em> has been selectively bred for thousands of years and is now a staple grain used in food production, animal feed, and the brewing of beer and whisky. The plant typically grows as an annual grass, producing distinctive grain heads with elongated awns. It is particularly tolerant of cool, dry conditions, which has enabled its cultivation at higher altitudes and in regions where other cereals struggle. Barley is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it nutritionally significant. Its global distribution reflects both its natural range and extensive human-mediated dispersal. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

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.