Large Tortoiseshells – Another Extinct Species Back For 2026

For the second time within one month, I am reporting on yet another ‘extinct’ species that has been proven to still be in nature today. Let’s hope for more awesome discoveries!

The large tortoiseshell, a butterfly thought to be extinct since 1980, was first sighted in the Isle of Wight on February 24, 2026. It had many sightings after the first, though, in Cornwall, Dorset, Sussex, Hampshire, and Kent, all within two weeks. Their ‘extinction’ in 1980 is very likely linked to the spread of the Dutch elm disease, which started around 1921.

The male large tortoiseshell butterflies have a rather large 68 – 72 millimeter wingspan, with the females being even larger with an impressive 72 – 75 millimeter wingspan. Large tortoiseshells look very similar to the small tortoiseshells. A few ways to tell them apart would be the large tortoiseshell’s absence of the white line along the edge of the wings, as well as their darker shade of orange. Hence, their names, the small tortoiseshell is smaller than the large tortoiseshell.

Unlike the ring-tailed glider, which I previously wrote an article about, quite a bit is known about large tortoiseshells, since just 50 years ago, this resilient species was considered very alive. In case anybody needs it, here’s the pronunciation for “tortoiseshell”. Torr-tiss-shell

Works cited:

https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/extinct-butterfly-spotted-across-england

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_tortoiseshell