Common Groundhopper vs small tortoiseshell

Tetrix undulata compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Common Groundhopper is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Groundhopper	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Orthoptera (Orthoptera)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Tetrigidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Tetrix	Aglais
Species	Tetrix undulata	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Groundhopper and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Class level: Insecta. (Insects)

Conservation Status

Common Groundhopper

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Groundhopper

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden.

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 Groundhopper

The common groundhopper, <em>Tetrix undulata</em>, is a small insect belonging to the order Orthoptera, family Tetrigidae. This species has an exceptionally broad ecological tolerance and is typically found across virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitat types within its range. Its distribution spans Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden, reflecting a wide presence across northern and western Europe. Unlike most grasshoppers, groundhoppers typically lack fully developed hind wings in some individuals and are often found on bare ground, mossy substrates, and near water margins. <em>Tetrix undulata</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating stable populations across its European range. No dietary information has been provided for this species. 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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden