Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Butterfly-framed butterfly prints-mounted photographs.

Small copper Butterfly, a very small and colourful British insect, can be found in late Autumn in the warm conditions. The small copper is a common butterfly of dry fields and heaths, often visiting flowers of chasing away other butterflies in quick darting flights. The first European emergence is in Apil or May, the second in July and August, and there is sometimes a third flight, except in the north. Found in most of Europe, up to 2,000 metres, and in North hand South Africa, the Canaries, Maderia, temperate Asia (including Japan), and North America. The caterpillar is a green, spotted with white and usually also with red. It feeds on Sorrel (Rumex) and knot-grass (Polygonum) and overwinters either partly or full-grown. The chrysalis is yellow-brown, marked with brown and black.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Butterfly resting on green leaf-UK insects.

The small copper is a common butterfly of dry fields and heaths, often visiting flowers of chasing away other butterflies in quick darting flights. The first European emergence is in Apil or May, the second in July and August, and there is sometimes a third flight, except in the north. Found in most of Europe, up to 2,000 metres, and in North hand South Africa, the Canaries, Maderia, temperate Asia (including Japan), and North America. The caterpillar is a green, spotted with white and usually also with red. It feeds on Sorrel (Rumex) and knot-grass (Polygonum) and overwinters either partly or full-grown. The chrysalis is yellow-brown, marked with brown and black.

Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas) butterfly feeding from a yellow dandelion flower-British nature photos

The stunning small coppa and as you can see it's size by the flower it's feeding on. The small copper is a common butterfly of dry fields and heaths, often visiting flowers of chasing away other butterflies in quick darting flights. The first European emergence is in Apil or May, the second in July and August, and there is sometimes a third flight, except in the north. Found in most of Europe, up to 2,000 metres, and in North hand South Africa, the Canaries, Maderia, temperate Asia (including Japan), and North America. The caterpillar is a green, spotted with white and usually also with red. It feeds on Sorrel (Rumex) and knot-grass (Polygonum) and overwinters either partly or full-grown. The chrysalis is yellow-brown, marked with brown and black.