Danube Clouded Yellow vs small tortoiseshell

Colias myrmidone compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Danube Clouded Yellow is Endangered while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Danube Clouded Yellow	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order same	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Pieridae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Colias	Aglais
Species	Colias myrmidone	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

Danube Clouded Yellow and small tortoiseshell share a common ancestor at the Order level: Lepidoptera. (Butterflies & Moths)

Conservation Status

Danube Clouded Yellow

EN — Endangered

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Danube Clouded Yellow	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Danube Clouded Yellow

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 8 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (15 countries). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

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 15 countries:

🇦🇹 Austria 🇧🇾 Belarus 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇩🇪 Germany 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇵🇱 Poland 🇷🇴 Romania 🇷🇺 Russia 🇷🇸 Serbia 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇺🇦 Ukraine