| Family | Lycaenidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Lycaeninae |
| Genus | Lycaena |
| Species | thersamon |
| Authority | (Esper, 1784) |
| English Name | Lesser Fiery 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 Lesser Fiery Copper is mostly found on dry, flower-rich grasslands, both on calcareous and acid soils. They are also seen on waste land, very open scrub and rocky slopes. The butterflies are often seen drinking from the flowers of Danewort (Sambucus ebulus). Its most important larval foodplant is Knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare), although other Polygonaceae species are perhaps also used. The caterpillars feed on both the flowers and the leaves. This butterfly species hibernates as a caterpillar and has several generations a year.
Albania / Austria (Regionally Extinct) / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / Cyprus / Czechia (Regionally Extinct) / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Greece: East Aegean Islands / Hungary / Italy / Italy: Mainland / North Macedonia / Moldova / Montenegro / Romania / European Russia / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovakia / European Türkiye / Ukraine /