Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) in Ireland

Copróg bheag in Gaeilge. The Small Copper, Lycaena phlaeas, is Ireland’s only resident copper and one of the most brightly coloured small butterflies of dry meadow and coastal grassland.

Identify it in four steps

1. Forewing upperside metallic copper-orange with a row of black spots and a black outer border.
2. Hindwing upperside dark chocolate-brown with a narrow copper-orange band along the outer margin.
3. Underside forewing pale orange with black spots; underside hindwing grey-buff with fine dark speckling and a thin orange marginal line.
4. Wingspan 26 to 32 mm; a small, fast, low-flying species, males territorial around a favoured perch.

Habitat in Ireland

The Small Copper occupies unimproved dry grassland, road verge, upland heath edge, and coastal cliff. Larvae feed on Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and Sheep’s Sorrel (Rumex acetosella), the latter especially on acidic upland and coastal sites.

Two to three broods a year in Ireland, with a late summer and autumn peak that can produce fresh individuals into October in warm years. The species overwinters as a larva low on a sorrel plant.

Where to see it

• Howth Head, County Dublin: coastal heath and cliff-top grassland hold reliable populations through summer.
• the Burren, County Clare: limestone grassland with Common Sorrel supports strong midsummer numbers.
• Wicklow uplands: acidic heath and verge edges with Sheep’s Sorrel produce late-summer sightings.

Related species

• Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
• Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
• Small Blue (Cupido minimus)