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Welcome to Daves Moth and
Butterfly World - Species Name: Small Copper |
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Welcome to Dave McCormick's Moth and Butterfly World. Here is information Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas ). Hear Scientific Name
Go Back to Lycaeninae Page Go to Thumbnail Species Index Information The Small Copper, American Copper or the Common Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or Blues family. It is a common and widespread little butterfly easily identifiable in the UK. (There are similar species in continental Europe.) It is widespread and common across Europe, Asia and North America, and also found in North Africa south through Ethiopia. It can be found almost anywhere in south/central England and Wales although never, it seems, in large numbers. Its distribution becomes more patchy in northern England, Scotland and Ireland. It is found in a wide variety range of habitats from chalk downlands, heathland, woodland clearings to churchyards and waste ground in cities. Similar Species Lycaena younghusbandi, Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon), White-bordered Copper (Lycaena pavana), Large Copper (Lycaena dispar), Purple-Shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) Known Aberrations To Be Completed. Adult Images In bright sun it is a very active little butterfly with the males setting up small territories which they will defend vigorously against rival males or indeed any unlucky passing insect. Even the shadow of a large bird passing overhead is enough to get him going. Females are pursued mercilessly and mating usually occurs low down in vegetation. The upperside forewings are a bright orange with a dark outside edge border and with eight or nine black spots. The hindwings are dark with an orange border. Some females also have a row of blue spots inside the orange border and are known as form caeruleopunctata. The undersides are pattenered in a similar way but are paler. The black spots on the forewings are outlined in yellow and the dark colouring is replaced by a pale brownish, gray. The hindwings are the same brown/grey colour with small black dots and a narrow orange border. Mating Images None Caterpillar Images The eggs are laid singly on the underside of foodplant leaves and the young caterpillar feeds on the underside of the leaf creating "windows" by leaving the upper epidermis of the leaf untouched. The caterpillars are usually green, but some have a purple stripe down the middle of the back and along each side. Depending on the habitat, Common Sorrel and Sheep's Sorrel are the two main food-plants, although other Docks species are occasionally used. Pupae Images None Forms Pages None Subspecies Pages eleus Aberrations None Videos Pages None References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_copper - Small Copper - Wikipedia British and Irish Butterflies - Adrian M. Riley (c) 2007 Page last edited: 25/08/2009 13:17 (c) David McCormick 2009 |