Scarce Copper

Lycaena virgaureae

Checklist Number
B043 [B&F: 1563]

Verification
Record requires retention of specimen until confirmed, and may require dissection. Consult with CMR if unsure

Classification

Family:Lycaenidae
Subfamily:Lycaeninae
Genus:Lycaena
Species:virgaureae
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)

Uncommon, in flower meadows, rough grassland and damp woodland; 1000-2000 m, low altitudes in the north throughout much of Fennoscandia, eastern Europe and northern Spain. In Britain, said to have been recorded in the late 18th Century, but much confusion and controversy surrounds the species' occurrence here. Wingspan 30-36 mm. Larva feeds on Common Sorrel and Dock.