Small Copper

Scientific Name - Lycaena phlaeas

Flight Period - April to October

Overwinters as - Larva

Habitat - Grassland, woodlands, gardens, parks

Larval foodplants - Sorrel, Dock

Conservation status - Low priority

Northamptonshire distribution - Widespread

Best public sites to see them - Anywhere with suitable habitat

The Small Copper is a common butterfly which can be encountered anywhere with suitable habitat. They can be often seen in good numbers at some sites, especially areas such as Bradlaugh Fields, Pitsford Nature Reserve, Ravensthorpe Reservoir and Twywell Hills and Dales where their foodplants can grow in abundance. Like many of the Blues, their second brood is very often much bigger than the first and autumnal Small Coppers can look much more vibrant than the ones seen earlier in the year. They can often produce aberrations and there is a long list of named types. The commonest aberration by far is the ab. caeruleopunctata which has a row of blue dots along the outer edge of the hindwings and can be quite easily found, especially in the second brood. Rarer aberrations include the ab. radiata, and the very rare ab. schmidtii, an example of which was found by Doug Goddard in Harlestone Firs in 2018, a photo of it is below. In 2022 Sacha Case found a stunning example of the Small Copper ab. cuprinus around the fields south of Lower Benefield.

Small Copper Distribution 2018-2022

Small Copper Underwing

Small Copper Upperwing, ab. caeruleopunctata

Small Copper Egg

Small Copper Larva

Small Copper Pupa

Small Copper ab. radiata

A very rare Small Copper ab. schmidtii found by Doug Goddard in 2018 in Harlestone Firs