Editing Small tortoiseshell (section)

===Predator defence===
The wings of tortoiseshell  butterflies help conceal them extremely well from predators. When closed, their wings look like leaves, helping them to hide. On the ground, it may take birds up to 30 minutes to see them. In addition to this, when discovered, tortoiseshell butterflies will flick their wings open to reveal bright colours. While they don't have [[eyespot (mimicry)|eyespots]] like many other butterflies, these bright contrasting colours can often scare a predator, giving the tortoiseshell butterfly ample time to escape.<ref>Vallin, Sven Jakobsson, and Christer Wiklund, (2006) "[http://www.intercult.su.se/publications/Vallin_et_al_2006.pdf Crypsis versus Intimidation—anti-predation Defence in Three Closely Related Butterflies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712231731/http://www.intercult.su.se/publications/Vallin_et_al_2006.pdf |date=2019-07-12 }}." ''Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology'' '''59''' (3): 455–59</ref>  Not only does this colouration tend to frighten birds, it can also act as a warning. The bright red colouration serves as a cautionary sign to the predator about the poor taste of the butterfly. Tortoiseshell butterflies tend to be unpalatable to birds. If a bird sees this bright red colouring, then they will be less likely to eat the butterfly.<ref>Hagen, S. B., Leinaas, H. P. and Lampe, H. M. (2003), Responses of great tits ''Parus major'' to small tortoiseshells ''Aglais urticae'' in feeding trials; evidence of aposematism. ''Ecological Entomology'', '''28''': 503–509</ref>

The tortoiseshell butterfly is particularly fast. When discovered and attacked by a predator the tortoiseshell butterfly will fly away in a straight line in order to outstrip the predator.<ref name="Shreeve, T. G 1981">Shreeve, T. G. (1981) "Flight Patterns of Butterfly Species in Woodlands." ''Oecologia'' '''51''' (2): 289–93 {{JSTOR|4216536}}</ref>