Large TortoiseshellNymphalis polychloros (Linnaeus, 1758)Large Tortoiseshell
Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) after hibernation in the Kottenforst
In February 2021, it was unusually warm in Bonn for a few days after the icy cold. To my surprise, I saw a very tattered Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) on a gravel path in the Kottenforst on 21 February. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me that day. So I set off again two days later and - lo and behold - I came across another hibernating Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) about 200 metres further on. However, it was another species in much better condition. Now equipped with a camera, I managed to take this photo. I also saw a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) and some male Brimstones (Gonepteryx rhamni). There were no flowering plants yet.