Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas) https://karits.eu/index.php/2025/05/21/small-copper-lycaena-phlaeas-5/

🦋 Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

The Small Copper is a vibrant and energetic butterfly, known for its striking orange and black coloration and its quick, darting flight. Despite its name, it’s bold and noticeable, often basking in sunny spots across a wide range of habitats.

🔍 Identification

Wingspan: 22–35 mm
Upper side:
- Forewings: Bright copper-orange with bold black spots and a dark border
- Hindwings: Dark brown with a coppery-orange edge
Underside:
- Forewings: Pale orange with black spots and a grayish border
- Hindwings: Gray-brown with small black dots
Sexes: Look very similar; females tend to be slightly larger

🌍 Distribution & Habitat

Range:
- Widespread across Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America
Habitat:
- Grasslands, heathlands, meadows, coastal dunes, urban gardens, and wastelands
- Prefers sunny, dry locations with short vegetation

🐛 Life Cycle

Generations: Multiple (2–3 per year, depending on climate)
Eggs:
- Laid singly on the upper surface of food plant leaves
- Tiny, white, and flat
Caterpillar:
- Green with a pale line along the sides
- Feeds low on the host plant
Chrysalis:
- Brown and formed near the ground or on a stem
- Can overwinter as a pupa in colder climates

🌿 Host Plants

Larval food plants:
- Common sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
- Sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Adult nectar sources:
- Buttercups, daisies, thistles, dandelions, and other low-growing flowers

🌟 Behavior & Facts

Often territorial; males chase off rivals aggressively despite their small size
Basks with wings open to soak up sun
One of the first butterflies to appear in spring and last to disappear in autumn

✅ Conservation Status

IUCN Red List: Least Concern
Populations are stable in many areas, though local declines can occur due to habitat loss and intensive agriculture

📌 Summary

The Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is a charismatic and resilient butterfly, easily recognized by its vivid copper tones and confident behavior. It’s a familiar sight in sunny, open spaces and plays a small but significant role in the health of local ecosystems. A jewel of the butterfly world, small in size but big in charm.