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  1. United Kingdom
  2. Lycaena (L.) phlaeas
Lycaena phlaeas(Linnaeus, 1761)
  1. Lycaenidae
  2. Lycaeninae
  3. Lycaenini
  4. Lycaena
  5. Lycaena
  6.  phlaeas
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TL: Sweden, Västmanland   (4200 m.)

The upperside forewings are a bright orange with a dark outside edge border and with eight or nine black spots. The hindwings are dark with an orange border. Some females also have a row of blue spots inside the orange border and are known as form caeruleopunctata. The undersides are patterned in a similar way but are paler. The black spots on the forewings are outlined in yellow and the dark colouring is replaced by a pale brownish grey. The hindwings are the same brown/grey colour with small black dots and a narrow orange border.

Habitat

  • Fallow land
  • Field boundary strips
  • Glades
  • Ruderal areas

Similar species

  • Lycaena (Helleia) helle
MU
FU

24-32 mm

MD
FD
  • Austria
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • Turkey
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom
Regional distr. - legend
Phenogram based on the literature
  • Local names
  • LanguageVernacular name
    CatalàCoure comú
    ČeskyOhniváček černokřídlý
    DanskLille ildfugl
    DeutschKleiner Feuerfalter
    Eesti keelLeek-kuldtiib
    EnglishSmall Copper
    EspañolManto bicolor
    FrançaisCuivré commun
    HrvatskiMali vatreni plavac
    ItalianoArgo bronzato
    LatviešuParastais zeltainītis
    LietuviųMažasis auksinukas
    MagyarKözönséges tüzlepke
    NederlandsKleine vuurvlinder
    NorskIldgullvinge
    PolskiCzerwończyk żarek
    ShqipFlakëroshja e artë
    SlovenčinaOhniváčik čiernokrídly
    SrpskiMali dukat
    SuomeksiPikkukultasiipi
    SvenskaMindre guldvinge
    TürkçeBeneklibakýrgüzeli
    ΕλληνικάΚοινή χαλκούχα λυκαένα
    РусскийЧервонец пятнистый
    ქართულიმუქ-წითელა მრავალთვალა
    中文紅灰蝶
    日本語ベニシジミ
    한국어작은주홍부전나비
    ייִדישכחליל ארכובית
  • Primary hostplants
  • FamilyLatin nameVernacular name
    PolygalaceaeRumex arifolius
    PolygonaceaeRumex acetosaCommon Sorrel
    PolygonaceaeRumex acetosellaSheep's Sorrel
    PolygonaceaeRumex crispusCurly Dock
    PolygonaceaeRumex lunariaCanary Island Sorrel
    PolygonaceaeRumex obtusifoliusBroad-leaved Dock
    PolygonaceaeRumex patientiaPatience dock
    PolygonaceaeRumex pulcherFiddle dock
    PolygonaceaeRumex roseus
    PolygonaceaeRumex vesicariusRuby dock
  • Synonyms and other combinations
  • Latin nameAuthor
    Lycaena phlaeoidesStaudinger, 1901
    Lycaena polarisCourvoisier, 1911
  • Subspecies
  • SpeciesAuthor
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas abbottii(Holland, 1892)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas arctodonFerris, 1974
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas baralachaMoore, 1884
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas chinensis(C. Felder, 1862)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas eleus(Fabricius, 1798)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas ethiopica(Poulton, 1922)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas feildeni(McLachlan, 1878)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas flavens(Ford, 1924)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas hypophlaeas(Boisduval, 1852)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas indica(Evans, 1925)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas phlaeas(Linnaeus, 1761)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas pseudophlaeas(Lucas, 1866)
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas shimaGabriel, 1954
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas stygianaButler, 1880
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas timeusCramer, 1779
  • Lycaena (L.) phlaeas is a member of the clade Lycaena phlaeas:
  • SpeciesAuthor
    Lycaena (L.) cupreus(W.H. Edwards, 1870)
    Lycaena (L.) kiyokoaeSakai, 1978
    Lycaena (L.) phlaeas(Linnaeus, 1761)
    Lycaena (L.) sichuanicaBozano & Weidenhoffer, 2001
  • Links
  • LanguageWebsiteAuthors
    African Butterfly Database
    British ButterfliesSteven Cheshire
    Butterflies and Moths of North America
    Butterflies and Moths of Northern IrelandRobert Thompson, Brian Nelson
    Butterflies of AmericaA.Warren, K.Davis, M.Stangeland
    Butterflies of IndiaKunte, K., S. Sondhi, and P. Roy
    Butterfly Conservation Armenia
    euroButterfliesMatt Rowling
    Lepiforum e. V.
    Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North AfricaPaolo Mazzei
    Moths and butterflies of SwedenMagnus Unger
    North American Moth Photographers Group
    Plants parasites of EuropeWillem N. Ellis
    Schmetterling - RaupeWalter Schön
    UK ButterfliesPeter Eeles

The QR code below, when scanned, automatically opens a page with a description of this species. Placing the code on a label under the specimen, on poster or information board in a museum or exhibition will allow for quick and easy display of full information about the species on the smartphone of the interested person.

  • All

Adult, upperside.

Marcin MikusekPoland, Puszcza Kampinoska

Adult, upperside.

Grzegorz FirlitPoland, Wrocław-Jarnołtów

Adult, upperside.

Agnieszka TańczukPoland, Chrząstowice

Adult, upperside.

Paulo Lopes RodriguesPortugal, Almaceda

Adult, underside.

Paulina SkrzypPoland, Stawy Milickie

Copulating pair.

Pablo Martínez-DarveSpain

Larva.

Joanna WalczewskaPoland, Obrowo

Larva.

Kimmo Silvonen †Finland, Kotka

Larva.

Joanna WalczewskaPoland, Obrowo

Pupa.

Joanna WalczewskaPoland, Obrowo

Egg.

Takashi KumonJapan

Egg.

Joanna WalczewskaPoland, Obrowo
Extinct
Extinct in the wild
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