German Wasp vs small tortoiseshell

Vespula germanica compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

German Wasp is Least Concern while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	German Wasp	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class same	Insecta (Insects)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Vespidae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Vespula	Aglais
Species	Vespula germanica	Aglais urticae

Evolutionary Relationship

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

View Class: Insecta

Conservation Status

German Wasp

LC — Least Concern

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	German Wasp	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

German Wasp

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas within the Neotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile).

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.

German Wasp

No description available.

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.