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Small Copper

Lycaena phlaeas

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55.6265, 12.1857

Field Notes

Habitat:

Semi-rural, open field

Notes:

The Small Copper, American Copper, or the Common Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or gossamer-winged butterfly family. Its specific name phlaeas is said to be derived either from the Greek Phlego, "to burn up" or from the Latin Floreo, "to flourish".

An old individual spotted in mid June: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/27543168

Reference Links:

Lycaena phlaeas

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (11)
FaredinAliyevski
Yes, lets hope this summer will increase the population numbers.
Debbie Stewart
unfortunately it is mainly because of agriculture and sometimes wet summers as we have a very temperate climate but the butterflies here have really benefitted from this long warm summer we have had this year, I think it is also the extremely cold winters that kill the larvae too :-(
FaredinAliyevski
Oh thanks Debbie, I have seen this species only twice. The previous one was too old with faded colors but this one looked perfect. In Denmark every year the number of species seen is decreasing, hopefully it's not the same there.
Debbie Stewart
I have been out trying to find one of these and here it is!!! Beautiful shot.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Scandinavian's Biodiversity
Mission
European Butterflies and Moths
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project
Mission
Danish wildlife
Photographed
PublishedAugust 3, 2013

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