Friday 30 August 2013

Restless Copper.


During one of my butterfly forays around Bookham Common I searched for one of our smallest flutters which despite its distinctive copper colours often prefers to perch on or close to the ground and is therefore easily missed amongst the grasses. Knowing that the preferred nectar source of the Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is Common Fleabane made my search slightly easier once I located a patch of bright yellow.

The males can be very restless and readily take on anything that enters their territory, including someone with a camera, so it took me a little time to get this one to settle after chasing several Whites away!

This species thrives in hot, sunny conditions and can have 3 to 4 broods in a good year but if the summer months are cool and wet the populations crash and it usually take several years to recover.

Hopefully this summer will be kind to this delightful little copper beauty.  FAB.

15 comments:

  1. Hi Frank... Nice looking little guy,and the flowers make a great shot of it!!
    Grace

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  2. That Copper is truly a beauty!

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  3. What gorgeous shots.

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  4. I love these little flutterers! Nice pics!

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  5. Beautiful image, love the bright yellow flowers and the pretty butterfly. Have a great weekend!

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  6. Nice detective work in tracking down this beautiful little butterfly Frank and your patience payed off with some great images.

    So far it looks as though it's been, or is going to be, a good year for most butterfly species...good news for once!...[;o)

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  7. A beauty of a butterfly Frank; especially when the sun shines on them.

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  8. Sitting atop those yellow mounds of flows is beautiful.

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  9. You took some really nice images Frank. I have not seen one Small Copper this year.

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  10. Wow, the small copper is stunning! The garden is very lovely as well!!

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  11. That is a beauty.

    This summer has been just superb for Butterfly's.

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  12. What a gorgeous set of images...they could easily be paintings Frank~

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  13. Beautiful pictures Frank... This is gonna be the first year without sighting a butterfly for me... Not even saw one in Maine!

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