Ram's Head Lady Slipper vs small tortoiseshell

Cypripedium plectrochilum compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

Ram's Head Lady Slipper is Vulnerable while small tortoiseshell is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ram's Head Lady Slipper	small tortoiseshell
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Asparagales (Asparagales)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Orchidaceae	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Cypripedium	Aglais
Species	Cypripedium plectrochilum	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Ram's Head Lady Slipper

VU — Vulnerable

small tortoiseshell

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ram's Head Lady Slipper	small tortoiseshell
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ram's Head Lady Slipper

Habitat

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

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 (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.