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Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
© Nick Greatorex-Davies
The Small Copper is a widespread and sometimes locally common species of open habitats with short vegetation, often colonising for a time areas where there has been recent disturbance and where there are plenty of patches of bare ground. The caterpillars feed on sorrels and sometimes docks (Rumex spp.). (For further details on this species see http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/).
Family: Lycaenidae
Status: Stable
Status details:
Status since 1976 is Stable with a decrease of -11.3%
Status over the last 20 years is Stable with a decrease of -38.1%
Status over the last 10 years is Stable with an increase of 14%
Back to the topLog collated index plot
This chart shows the index of abundance (LCI = Log Collated Index) over time. It shows fluctuations in populations from year to year, and is scaled so that the average index over the whole series is equal to 2 (horizontal line). For greater detail about how this index is derived, click on the green question mark above.
Trend description:
The data show no significant trend in either generation. Numbers may fluctuate considerably at individual sites where regular disturbance is needed to provide the early successional habitat with foodplant required for this species to breed.
Distribution...
This map shows the distribution between 1995 and 1999. Data is derived from the Butterflies for the New Millenium dataset via the NBN Gateway (www.searchnbn.net).
View the distribution on the NBN GatewayPhenology...
Phenology plot
Phenology plot
This chart shows the average number of butterflies seen on transects between Arpil and October. The black line gives average counts over the full BMS series (1976 to date) and the red line gives the average for the last year.
Abundance...
Abundance
This map shows symbols for the mean abundance at transect sites, with the size of symbol reflecting the level of abundance. Means are over all years.
Coverage
In total, Small Copper has been recorded from 810 transects in the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Of these, annual indices of abundance have been calculated from 947 sites, with an average index of 13 individuals per site.
For 436 of these sites, Small Copper has been recorded well enough to calculate annual indices of abundance in 6 or more years, allowing trends to be calculated.
In 2006, 9551 individuals were recorded from 486 sites, producing annual indices at 386 of these.
