Small copper
Males stake out a small territory on bare ground and dart out to chase off any passing insect, then return to the exact same spot.
| Where | Grassland, heathland, wasteland, road verges |
|---|---|
| Size | 26 to 36 mm wingspan |
| When | April to October |
It shows bright coppery-orange forewings with black spots, bordered by dark brown, and dark brown hindwings with a thin orange band.
It flies in several overlapping broods across the season and its caterpillars feed on common sorrel and sheep's sorrel.
Traits
Habitat
Grassland
Colour
Orange, Brown
Active
Day
To people
Harmless
Activity through the year
Often confused with
The brown argus lacks the small copper's bright metallic orange forewing patches and is a duller brown with orange spots along the wing edge.
Questions
Is the Small copper dangerous to people?
The Small copper is harmless to people.
When can you see the Small copper?
The Small copper can be seen from April to October, by day.
Plate retouched from a photo by Magnefl, CC BY‑SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons Licence
The plate on this page is shared under the same licence as its source, CC BY-SA.
Report a mistake in this entry
Butterflies and moths›Blues and coppers›Lycaena
Last updated 2026-09-26. Every entry is checked against published sources.