Blue Copper
Common NameBlue Copper
Scientific NamePolyommatus icarus
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyPolyommatinae
Wingspan (mm)32
Primary Colorsblue, black, grey, white
HabitatMeadows, grasslands, open woodlands, gardens, coastal areas
Geographic RangeEurope, North Africa, temperate Asia
Host PlantsLotus corniculatus, Medicago lupulina, Trifolium repens
Flight PeriodApril to October
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plant leaves. Larvae are small, green, and often myrmecophilous (associated with ants). Pupation occurs at the base of the host plant or in leaf litter.
Identification TipsMales are uniformly bright blue dorsally. Females can be blue or brown with orange lunules. The ventral side is grey-brown with black spots, often with an orange submarginal band on the hindwing, though this can be reduced. The white fringe is a key feature.
Description
A small butterfly with iridescent violet-blue upperwings, a narrow black border, and a white fringe. The underwings are pale greyish-brown with several small black spots, some ringed with white.
