Sussex Butterfly Conservation : Species

Butterfly Species in Sussex

Small Copper nectaring on Corn Marigold – photo by Martin Kalaher

Small Copper

Lycaena phlaeas

Description

This species can be found more-or-less anywhere in Sussex, with typical habitats including downland, heaths, shingle beaches and brown-field sites. Most colonies are small or very small, and whilst it may be fairly easy to find 2-3 individuals, a count of double figures is much more of a challenge. This is an enormous contrast to the situation a century ago when Small Coppers could be counted in the 100s or even 1000s. In this millennium the bar has been re-set at a much lower level, but none-the-less, there have been noteworthy counts, such as: “100 in 15 minutes” at The Gallops, inside Friston Forest in 2009 and 110 at Cissbury Ring in 2018.

Small Coppers are very distinctive and should be easy to identify. The combination of copper in the background and an attractive arrangement of black markings makes it a very recognisable butterfly.

Between 2006-2024 the “average first sighting” was April 11th (range, March 30th to May 15th) and this first brood usually flies to mid-June. The flight period for the more numerous second-brood is late June to late August. There is a third-brood, from early September through to late October and occasionally, there is even a fourth brood in November. The “average last sighting” for 2006-2024 was October 30th (range, October 14th to November 17th).

The principal larval foodplant is Common Sorrel, with Sheep’s Sorrel and re-generating Dock, occasionally used. All these native plants are common and widespread.

Where to find

This species is widely-distributed in the county but some of the larger colonies can be found at Kingley Vale SU822102 to SU822109; Cissbury Ring TQ137076 to TQ145080 (via TQ139082; Well Bottom TQ4505; Hope Gap TV509974; Lullington Heath NNR TQ5401.