| Family | Lycaenidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Lycaeninae |
| Genus | Lycaena |
| Species | helle |
| Authority | ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) |
| English Name | Violet Copper |
| European Red List 2010 | Endangered (EN) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
| European Red List 2025 | Near Threatened (NT) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Near Threatened (NT) |
| Habitats Directive | HD II IV |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
The Violet Copper is a rare butterfly and often confined to very small sites (where it may occur in large numbers). It is found in swampy, wet grassland and rough vegetation bordering streams and lakes. In Central Europe, eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves of Bistort (Polygonum bistorta). In the north of its range Viviparous Bistort (Polygonum vivipara) is also used as larval foodplant. The young caterpillars eat the lower epidermis, thus making the characteristic “windows”. It passes the winter as a pupa. It has one, sometimes two, generations a year.
Andorra / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Wallonia / Bulgaria / Czechia / Finland / France / France: Mainland / Germany / Hungary (Regionally Extinct) / Italy (Regionally Extinct) / Italy: Mainland (Regionally Extinct) / Lithuania / Luxembourg / Norway / Poland / Romania / European Russia / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Slovakia (Regionally Extinct) / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Sweden / Switzerland / Ukraine /