| Family | Lycaenidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Lycaeninae |
| Genus | Lycaena |
| Species | phlaeas |
| Authority | (Linnaeus, [1760]) |
| English Name | Small 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 | |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
The Small Copper is a very common, widespread butterfly. It is found on all sorts of grasslands and heathlands, roadsides and along the banks of canals. The butterflies often visit flowers, and the males, perched on a tall blade of grass, defend their territory fiercely, flying out at other males of its sort. Eggs are laid on different species of acidic sorrels, mainly Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa). This butterfly species overwinters as a caterpillar. In the north of its range, the Small Copper has two generations a year, whereas in the southern part, it may have three or four.
Albania / Andorra / Austria / Belarus / Belgium / Belgium: Flanders / Belgium: Wallonia / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Cyprus / Czechia / Denmark / Estonia / Finland / France / France: Mainland / France: Corsica / Germany / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Greece: East Aegean Islands / Greece: Kirti (Crete) / Hungary / Ireland / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Italy: Sardinia / Italy: Sicily / Latvia / Lithuania / Luxembourg / North Macedonia / Malta / Moldova / Montenegro / Netherlands / Norway / Poland / Portugal / Portugal: Mainland / Portugal: Madeira Islands / Romania / European Russia / San Marino / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / Slovenia / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Spain: Canary Islands / Spain: Balearic Islands / Spain: Sp. North African Territories / Sweden / Switzerland / European Türkiye / Ukraine / United Kingdom / United Kingdom: Great Britain / United Kingdom: Northern Ireland / United Kingdom: Isle of Man / United Kingdom: Guernsey / United Kingdom: Jersey / United Kingdom: Gibraltar /