Butterfly Survey 1976-2020
Small Copper
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas
wingspan: 28mm - with abberation to left forewing
This butterfly is iconic to me. It is easy to photograph and was the subject of my first completely sucessful butterfly picture. It perches frequently and is the butterfly equivalent of the robin, in its pugnacity - flying out to meet any intruder that might stray into its territory, (whatever the size). I have recorded this butterfly from early spring onwards and it is present in almost every place I have recorded butterflies in the South East and beyond. As an indicator of habitat change and degradation, a Small Copper butterfly was photographed by me on the South side of the main St Mary Cray rail viaduct in the late 1970's by Sevenoaks Way, now degraded to a tip. The butterfly is completely catholic in habitat, but not quite that it can endure so much road pollution.
Habit: male and female fairly similar, (male more strikingly marked with dark spots and dashes). The butterfly has a rapid teritorial flight and frequently comes to rest on a favourite low perch. Wing patterns are subject to a degree of variation in the distribution and intensity of markings*.
Triple brooded in best years 2019: over winters as a larvae. Pupa can be found loosely attached to dead leaves or stem.
Larval Foodplant: dock, sorrel, sheep's sorrel.
Status: not under threat in our area, but diminishing, due to pressure from the general degradation and tidying of our roadsdie verges - numbers fluctuating year by year. Empty year spaces does not imply absence of the butterfly.
WH - White Hill Shoreham, BC - Bromley Common, BR - Bromley wider, Hay Hayes -BN Bromley North - Ey Eynsford - Orp Orpington - HE High Elms Lull Lulingstone
© Rodney Compton