| Family | Lycaenidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Lycaeninae |
| Genus | Lycaena |
| Species | dispar |
| Authority | ([Haworth], 1802) |
| English Name | Large Copper |
| European Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
| European Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| Habitats Directive | HD II IV |
| Bern Convention | BC II |
| CITES |
The Large Copper occurs in marshy habitats, and on the peaty banks of lakes, rivers and streams, more to the East also on waste lands. Nectar plants are important for the females, which lay more eggs when there is more food available for them. Eggs are laid on large non-acidic sorrels (like Rumex crispus, R. obtusifolius, but never R. acetosa or R. acetosella). The young caterpillars first eat from the underside of the leaves, making the characteristic ‘windows’. Later caterpillars feed on the whole leaf. They hibernate when half-grown between withered leaves at the foot of the foodplant and are sometimes associated with ants (Myrmica rubra and Lasius niger). The Large Copper has several subspecies in Europe. The subspecies L. d. batava has one generation a year, and the others two and sometimes even three.
Albania / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Czechia / Denmark (Regionally Extinct) / Estonia / Finland / France / France: Mainland / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Hungary / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Latvia / Lithuania / Luxembourg / North Macedonia / Moldova / Montenegro / Netherlands / Poland / Romania / European Russia / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia / Switzerland / European Türkiye / Ukraine / United Kingdom (Regionally Extinct) / United Kingdom: Great Britain (Regionally Extinct) /