# Large Copper (*Lycaena dispar*) The Large Copper is a beautiful butterfly with bright orange wings and black spots. It loves to flutter around in sunny meadows and wetlands, making it a lovely sight to see! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Large Copper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/%28MHNT%29_Lycaena_dispar_-_Ka%C5%A1%C4%97tos_-_Lithuania_-_male.jpg&width=800) Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%28MHNT%29_Lycaena_dispar_-_Ka%C5%A1%C4%97tos_-_Lithuania_-_male.jpg) ## Appearance The Large Copper has brilliant, iridescent coppery-orange forewings with small black spots, contrasting with duller brown hindwings often bordered in orange. Its underside is a mosaic of grey-brown with black spots and orange patches, making it visually distinct from most other butterflies. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Lycaena ## Interesting facts - Its caterpillar stage spends winter as a tiny, hidden larva on a sorrel plant, waiting for spring to grow! - Male Large Coppers are much brighter and more vividly orange than females, showing off their dazzling colors. - This butterfly famously went extinct in Britain, but was brought back using butterflies from the Netherlands! - Young Large Coppers have a special scent that attracts certain ants, who sometimes protect them from other insects! ## Special abilities - **Leafy Disguise:** Large Copper larvae have green bodies that help them blend perfectly with the sorrel leaves they eat, avoiding hungry predators. - **Nectar Navigator:** Large Copper can quickly find specific wetland flowers because of their excellent eyesight, which helps them collect energy-rich nectar. - **Rapid Flier:** The Large Copper has strong wings and a quick flight, allowing it to dart away from threats and cover ground efficiently. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-45 mm - **Size:** 15-20 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 18 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip flower nectar; caterpillars munch on specialized wetland plants. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat plant leaves, while adults exclusively drink flower nectar. - **Primary Foods:** Water Mint nectar, Hemp-agrimony nectar, Great Water Dock leaves, Common Sorrel leaves - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Great Water Dock (*Rumex hydrolapathum*) — Larvae feed on its leaves. - **Pollinates:** Water Mint (*Mentha aquatica*) — Adults drink nectar and transfer pollen. - **Eaten by:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Birds are common predators of adult butterflies. ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Large Copper? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Large Copper's wingspan? 30-45 mm ### How big is Large Copper? 15-20 mm ### How long does Large Copper live? 15-30 days ### How fast can Large Copper fly? 18 km/h ### What does Large Copper eat? Adults sip flower nectar; caterpillars munch on specialized wetland plants. ### Where is Large Copper usually found? Wetlands ### How does Large Copper hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Naturpark Flusslandschaft Peenetal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/peene-valley-nature-park) — Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE · Park - [Saône Marsh](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saone-marsh) — Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, FR · Park ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Large Copper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/large-copper)