Photo taken today- banks of Dodder river in Ireland (1 Viewer)

[keps]

Thanks to previous help I received on this forum- I thought Ihat I had safely identified this butterfly as a Tortoiseshell.
But when looking at the photo- there seems to be a missing 'section' at the rear of the butterfly! I wonder did it meet with an accident or is this a normal appearance?

 

[Jos Stratford]

It is Small Tortoiseshell and it is fairly common that butterflies lose bits of their wings - close shaves with birds, abrasion, etc. Apart from the missing section, this is a very fresh individual, so pretty likely it's bird-related damage not abrasion.

Sometimes they are so battered that it's amazing they can still fly.

 

[keps]

It is Small Tortoiseshell and it is fairly common that butterflies lose bits of their wings - close shaves with birds, abrasion, etc. Apart from the missing section, this is a very fresh individual, so pretty likely it's bird-related damage not abrasion.

Sometimes they are so battered that it's amazing they can still fly.

Thanks indeed for that very helpful answer.