Scarce Copper

lycaena virgaureae

The Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) is a stunningly vibrant butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae. Known for the brilliant, glowing coppery-orange color of the male's upper wings, this species is a jewel of palearctic meadows and forest edges. Despite its name, it can be locally abundant in undisturbed, flower-rich habitats across Europe and parts of Asia, though land development and intensive agriculture have led to declines in some regions. These butterflies are highly active during warm, sunny days, frequently visiting nectar-rich yellow and white flowers. They undergo a single generation per year, overwintering as eggs before emerging as caterpillar larvae in the spring to feed on sorrel plants.

Lebensraum: Found in flower-rich dry or damp meadows, woodland clearings, and sunny hillsides, often closely associated with host sorrel plants.

Aussehen

The Scarce Copper is a small to medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of 3 to 4 cm. Sexual dimorphism is highly pronounced: males possess brilliant, unspotted, glowing coppery-red or orange upper wings with a very thin, clean black outer border. In contrast, females are less luminous, featuring golden-orange upper wings heavily patterned with rows of dark brown or black spots. The undersides of both sexes are similar, presenting a pale orange-yellow to brownish hue adorned with small black spots and a characteristic submarginal row of tiny white patches on the hindwing.

ReichAnimaliaStammArthropodaKlasseInsectaOrdnungLepidopteraFamilieLycaenidaeGattungLycaena

Scarce Copper

Kategorie

Insekten

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Female Scarce Coppers deliberately lay their eggs near the base of withered host plants, ensuring the emerging spring larvae are close to newly sprouting sorrel leaves.

The species name 'virgaureae' refers to European Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), which is one of the adult butterflies' favorite nectar sources, rather than the caterpillar's host plant.

While most copper butterflies have dark spots on their upper wings, the male Scarce Copper is unique for having entirely spotless, pure orange-red upper wings.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Utilizes its highly reflective copper wings to bask in the sun at precise angles, rapidly warming up its thoracic flight muscles on cool mornings.

Males establish and fiercely guard small sunny perches, darting out to drive away rival males and other insect intruders.

Produces eggs with a thick, insulated chorion shell, allowing them to safely survive freezing winter temperatures on dry stems.

Maße und Details

Länge: 1+ cm
Flügelspannweite: 3+ cm
Gewicht: 0.0001+ kg
Lebenserwartung: 1+ Jahre
Top Speed: 12 km/h
Gelegegröße: 40+
Brutzeit: 180+ Tage

Ernährung und Fütterung

Caterpillars feed exclusively on the foliage of sorrel plants, while adult butterflies feed on the nectar of various flowering plants, especially white and yellow composites.

Altersunterschiede: Larvae chew and feed strictly on the leaves of host Rumex plants, whereas adults drink liquid nectar using a sucking proboscis.

Hauptnahrung

Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
Sheep's Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea)
Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Nahrungssuche

Grazing

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

host plant

Common Sorrel

Rumex acetosa

The primary larval host plant, providing essential nutrition to the growing caterpillars.

eaten by

Eurasian Blue Tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

Preyed upon by small insectivorous birds during the adult butterfly stage.

parasite

Ichneumon Wasp

Ichneumon suspiciosus

Larvae are occasionally parasitized by specialized parasitoid wasps.

Merkmale

Für dieses Objekt sind noch keine Merkmal-Badges vergeben.

Auch bekannt als

Noch keine Alternativnamen vorhanden.

Sammlungen

Sammlungen für dieses Objekt erscheinen hier, wenn weitere Themen hinzugefügt werden.

Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Scarce Copper?

Der einfachste Weg, Scarce Copper zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Scarce Copper?

1+ cm

Was ist der/die/das flügelspannweite von Scarce Copper?

3+ cm

Was ist der/die/das gewicht von Scarce Copper?

0.0001+ kg

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Scarce Copper?

1+ Jahre

Was ist der/die/das top Speed von Scarce Copper?

12 km/h

Was frisst Scarce Copper?

Caterpillars feed exclusively on the foliage of sorrel plants, while adult butterflies feed on the nectar of various flowering plants, especially white and yellow composites.

Wo findet man Scarce Copper normalerweise?

Found in flower-rich dry or damp meadows, woodland clearings, and sunny hillsides, often closely associated with host sorrel plants.