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The small tortoiseshell can reach wingspans of 40 - 50 mm. The base colour of the wings’ upper surface is orange. The front edge of the forewing bears a pattern of black, yellow and white patches with 1 large and 2 small black spots in the middle. The underside of the wings is black and has markings in different greys and grey-brown colours. The hind wings only bear a black patch. Both pairs of wings, have ...
...f black, yellow and white patches with 1 large and 2 small black spots in the middle. The underside of the wings is black and has markings in different greys and grey-brown colours. The hind wings only bear a black patch. Both pairs of wings, have a pattern of black at the edge. At higher altitudes in, more southerly locations small tortoiseshells are bigger and brighter. | | |
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The thorax in both sexes is yellowish brown to olive-brown. The abdomen of the females isup to 34 mm in length and dark with a mesh-like pattern and 2 black bands running lengthwise. In older females the abdomen may turn blue (through coverage with wax). The 2nd to 7th abdominal segments of the older males (excreted by wax that adheres to the surface) are also a powdery blue. The abdomen of ...
...lue (through coverage with wax). The 2nd to 7th abdominal segments of the older males (excreted by wax that adheres to the surface) are also a powdery blue. The abdomen of the males reaches lengths of 30 - 35 mm. Young males also have a lattice like pattern on the abdomen. The tip of the abdomen - 8th to 10th segment - darkens considerably after mating. | | |
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| ...ped as a means of camouflage.
Another important distinguishing feature is the color of the beetle, which varies as greatly as the body shape. While most beetle species are dark or brownish in color, there are species whose surface has a luminous pattern or metallic sheen. | | |
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| ...g shaped like a bent "Y". The hindwings are greyish-brown with dark edges. The silver Y has a very long proboscis and can suck nectar out from deep flower calyx. The caterpillars, which are up to 25 mm in length, are light green and have a pattern of fine bright lines on their back. | | |
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| Adult hawthorn shield bugs reach body lengths of 15 - 17 mm. Their heads have a pattern of black and yellow stripes. They have red to red-brown stripes on the wing covers which at the edge of the pronotum look like a triangle. This colouration acts as camouflage making the bug difficult to distinguish from its environment. The colourat... | | |
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| ...ings’ upper surface is dark brown, while the seams have a brassy sheen. The forewings have two bands which are a metallic-green or golden colour depending on the light. These bands usually have a brownish central area, which separately bears a black pattern. The rear wings of the burnished brass are brown. Tufts of rusty-brown hair are clearly visible on the upper surface of the chest. | | |
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| Adult parent bugs reach body lengths of 6 - 9 mm. They are grey, greyish-yellow, yellow, green, greenish-yellow, reddish-brown or rusty brown in colour, and the upper surface is covered with little black pits. The pattern of alternating light and dark areas on the side edges of the abdomen is very striking. | | |
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| ...t the rear. The base colour of the body is whitish-green to yellowish-green. On the upper part of the face and forehead there are four to five black spots. The pronotum has two black spots in the middle and three on the sides. The front wings have a pattern made up of dark brown spots and dark edges. The wing veins are distinctly yellow. The legs are whitish-green. The bodies of the immature nymphs are cream coloured. | | |
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| ...ch wingspans of 40 - 50 mm. The colour of their bodies varies widely. On the upper surface, brownish and reddish hues dominate. The head, chest and abdomen have brownish-yellow hair. Their forewings have a brownish-red upper surface, with a striking pattern of yellow to orange-red spots. There is always a black "eye" patch with a white core near the wing tips. On the bright seam of the wings runs a thin margin. Near the “eyes” are more patches of yellow. which run parallel to the outer edge o... | | |
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| ... and are attached to a ‘hump’ on the head. Thick-headed flies have long, thin, transparent wings, which can be purple, red to yellow or brownish in colour. The chest plate (pronotum) often has a marking made up of dark spots and a silver-coloured pattern. The abdomen of the flies varies in form and appearance according to species and can be wasp like in shape. In some species the appearance of the abdomen resembles that of hoverflies. The specimens of the genus Dallmannia have long ovipositors. | | |
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