Larch Spike vs small tortoiseshell

Gomphidius maculatus compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Larch Spike is Endangered while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Larch Spike	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Boletales (Boletales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Gomphidiaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Gomphidius	Aglais
Species	Gomphidius maculatus	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Larch Spike

EN — Endangered

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Larch Spike	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Larch Spike

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Asia (Taiwan) and Europe (5 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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇸🇪 Sweden