(Rottemburg, 1775)
Purple-shot Copper
Description:
The Purple-shot Copper is found both in damp and dry places on many kinds of flower-rich grassland. Only the male has the beautiful purple sheen on the upperside of its wings.
Eggs are laid on sorrels (Rumex spp.), mainly Common Sorrel (R. acetosa). This butterfly species hibernates as a fully-developed caterpillar in the egg, or in the first instar. The caterpillars feed at night and keep themselves hidden during the day. They pupate in the litter layer.
It has one generation a year.
There are different subspecies, L. a. alcyphron with orange males and brown females, L. a. melibaeus where the males have almost no purple and the females have black hindwings, and L. a. gordius where the violet suffusion on the upperside of the wings of the males is reduced. Females of this subspecies are orange instead of brown on the upperside of the wings.
Habitat:
Dry siliceous grasslands
Dry calcareous grasslands
Mesophile grasslands
Humid grasslands
Similar species:
Lycaena tityrus
Lycaena thersamon
Lycaena hippothoe