Butterflies of
Europe
Sooty Copper
Lycaena tityrus
PODA, 1761
Family - LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
LYCAENINAE
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Sooty Copper
Lycaena tityrus, male, Őrség NP, Hungary
© Peter Bruce-Jones |
Introduction
There are over 70 species of Copper butterfly in the genus
Lycaena, the vast majority of which
are found in the Holarctic region ( North America, Europe and the
part of Asia north of the Himalayas ). There are also however at
least 5 species in Africa including the Small Copper
Lycaena phlaeas, and several in the
Oriental region. Additionally there is a single species in Papua
New Guinea, and no less than 4 in New Zealand. Australia and South
America each have the great misfortune to have not even a single
species of this exquisite genus of butterflies.
All Lycaena
species are small and of similar shape, and all but a tiny handful
have a shimmering fiery copper sheen on their uppersides.
There are 12 species in Europe, of
which tityrus is one of the most
common, occuring over most of southern and central Europe. It also occurs
across much of temperate ( Holarctic ) Asia.
Sooty Copper
Lycaena tityrus, female, Orfalu, Őrség, Hungary
© Peter Bruce-Jones
Habitats
To be completed.
Lifecycle
To be completed.
Adult behaviour
To be completed.
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