Sooty Copper

Fascinating facts about the Sooty Copper

• The sooty copper occupies a broad swathe of Europe, extending from the North Sea in the north to the Mediterranean in the south, but it is absent from Great Britain. Its eastern limit reaches Russia, while its western edge includes central northern Spain. Populations also occur in north-western Iberia and western France, and the species reaches into Asia Minor, showing a distinctly continental distribution.
• Adult sooty coppers are active from early spring through late autumn, with flight periods shifting according to latitude and local climate. In most parts of its range the butterflies can be seen from April until October, while in the Alps the subspecies L. subalpina produces only a single generation that flies in July. In southern areas three overlapping broods may appear, allowing the species to persist throughout the summer months.
• When the male sooty copper is alive its dark brown wings display a striking metallic green sheen that catches the light in flight. This glossy overlay is punctuated by black spots that match those on the underside of the wings, and a very thin reddish lunate line runs just before the hindwing margin. The vivid coloration is a characteristic feature of the species and helps distinguish the male from the paler female.
• The Alpine subspecies Lycaena tityrus subalpina lives high in the mountains of the Alps, where it is found on peaks such as Patscherkofel near Innsbruck and the Seiser Alp. It is adapted to the cooler climate and only produces one generation each year, with adults on the wing in July. This high-altitude habitat limits its flight period compared with lower-lying forms. The species can be recorded at considerable heights in the Alpine region.
• Sooty copper caterpillars specialise on sorrel plants, feeding on both Rumex acetosa and Rumex acetosella. The larvae spend the winter in a dormant state, hibernating until spring when they resume feeding. After emerging they continue to eat the same host plants throughout the summer, supporting their growth to pupation. Their dependence on these Rumex species ties their life cycle closely to the availability of sorrel.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia

At a glance

About the Sooty Copper

As the warm sunlight dances across the dewy meadows, the Sooty Copper butterfly stirs to life, its delicate wings beating in a hypnotic rhythm as it flutters from bloom to bloom. With an air of quiet confidence, it navigates the intricate tapestry of wildflowers, its burnished copper hues glimmering like embers as it sips nectar from each delicate petal. In this whimsical waltz, the Sooty Copper embodies the very essence of summer's gentle beauty, its unassuming nature belied by a resilience that has allowed it to thrive in these sun-kissed landscapes.

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