Small copper Lycaena phlaeas
Male ab. caeruleopunctata
What do they look like?
As its name suggests this is a small butterfly with copper colouring. It is the only British butterfly with this colouring (the large copper sadly became extinct here about 150 years ago) so should be easy to identify.
The sexes have a similar appearance. The forewings are bright copper-coloured with black patches and brown margins, but the extent of the black patches is quite variable. The hind wings are brown with a copper band at the bottom. Undersides of the wings are golden and pale brown.
There are many named varieties of "aberrations" of this species. In some specimens there is quite a marked "tail" on the hindwing (see top left), while some have a row of blue spots on the hindwing just above the copper band. These are called ab. caeuruleopunctata. (top right)
Wingspan 26 to 36mm
Where are they found? (in Britain and Ireland)
All Britain and Ireland. The small copper in England , Wales and Scotland are of the subspecies eleus. The Irish subspecies hibernica has a broader red band on the hind wing, and a more grey (rather than brown) underside.
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
Small coppers are found in dry open ground such as unimproved grassland, heathland, grassy clifftops, woodland clearings and rides. Waste grounds and roadside embankments can also be colonised. They rarely visit gardens now.
Resident or migrant?
Resident
When to see them?
There are normally two or three broods each year, depending on the weather. Small coppers do well in long, hot summers and may even produce a fourth brood in these conditions. Generally, adults can be seen from late April until October. The butterflies are fast-flying when on the wing but also like to bask in the sun on the ground or low down on vegetation. The males are highly territorial and will chase off other insects while waiting for passing females.
What happens in winter?
Small coppers overwinter as caterpillars. They start hibernating in the autumn by attaching themselves to a pad of silk on a leaf or leaf stem of their foodplant.
What do the early stages look like?
Eggs are laid singly under leaves of the foodplant. They are pill shaped , white to grey, with honeycomb mouldings. When they first emerge from the eggs, the caterpillars are a pale, greenish-yellow colour and about 1mm in length. The caterpillars moult four times so there are five instars, reaching a final length of 15mm. These later stages occur in two forms – either bright green all over or with green and pink stripes. Pupae are at the base of the foodplant by the soil, on a dead leaf.
What do the caterpillars eat?
The main foodplants are wild sorrels -
common sorrel Rumex acetosa and sheeps sorrel,
Rumex acetosella.
Dock Rumex obtusifolius is also used
1..
Flowers they take nectar from
Small copper butterflies feed primarily on common fleabane, buttercups, daisies, dandelions, hawkweeds, heathers and ragworts. Red clover, thistles and yarrow are also used2..
How are they doing?
The population seems roughly stable at the moment. The 2022 State of UK butterflies report shows a 39% decrease in small copper numbers from 1976, which is very slightly worse than the 37% decrease in the 2015 report. However the distribution has declined between the two reports, from a 16% decrease to a 37% decrease3..
References
3. State of UK Butterflies 2022
report
Page written by Judy Skinner, reviewed and compiled by Steve Head
Male ab. caeruleopunctata
What do they look like?
As its name suggests this is a small butterfly with copper colouring. It is the only British butterfly with this colouring (the large copper sadly became extinct here about 150 years ago) so should be easy to identify.
The sexes have a similar appearance. The forewings are bright copper-coloured with black patches and brown margins, but the extent of the black patches is quite variable. The hind wings are brown with a copper band at the bottom. Undersides of the wings are golden and pale brown.
Wingspan 26 to 36mm
Small copper Lycaena phlaeas
There are many named varieties of "aberrations" of this species. In some specimens there is quite a marked "tail" on the hindwing (see top left), while some have a row of blue spots on the hindwing just above the copper band. These are called ab. caeuruleopunctata. (top right)
Where are they found? (in Britain and Ireland)
All Britain and Ireland. The small copper in England , Wales and Scotland are of the subspecies eleus. The Irish subspecies hibernica has a broader red band on the hind wing, and a more grey (rather than brown) underside.
What is their preferred habitat outside gardens?
Small coppers are found in dry open ground such as unimproved grassland, heathland, grassy clifftops, woodland clearings and rides. Waste grounds and roadside embankments can also be colonised. They rarely visit gardens now.
Resident or migrant?
Resident
When to see them?
There are normally two or three broods each year, depending on the weather. Small coppers do well in long, hot summers and may even produce a fourth brood in these conditions. Generally, adults can be seen from late April until October. The butterflies are fast-flying when on the wing but also like to bask in the sun on the ground or low down on vegetation. The males are highly territorial and will chase off other insects while waiting for passing females.
What happens in winter?
Small coppers overwinter as caterpillars. They start hibernating in the autumn by attaching themselves to a pad of silk on a leaf or leaf stem of their foodplant.
What do the early stages look like?
Eggs are laid singly under leaves of the foodplant. They are pill shaped , white to grey, with honeycomb mouldings. When they first emerge from the eggs, the caterpillars are a pale, greenish-yellow colour and about 1mm in length. The caterpillars moult four times so there are five instars, reaching a final length of 15mm. These later stages occur in two forms – either bright green all over or with green and pink stripes. Pupae are at the base of the foodplant by the soil, on a dead leaf.
What do the caterpillars eat?
The main foodplants are wild sorrels - common sorrel Rumex acetosa and sheeps sorrel, Rumex acetosella. Dock Rumex obtusifolius is also used1..
Flowers they take nectar from
Small copper butterflies feed primarily on common fleabane, buttercups, daisies, dandelions, hawkweeds, heathers and ragworts. Red clover, thistles and yarrow are also used2..
How are they doing?
The population seems roughly stable at the moment. The 2022 State of UK butterflies report shows a 39% decrease in small copper numbers from 1976, which is very slightly worse than the 37% decrease in the 2015 report. However the distribution has declined between the two reports, from a 16% decrease to a 37% decrease3..
References
3. State of UK Butterflies 2022 report
Page written by Judy Skinner, reviewed and compiled by Steve Head