White-bordered Copper
Common NameWhite-bordered Copper
Scientific NameLycaena hippothoe
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyLycaeninae
Wingspan (mm)35
Primary Colorsorange, brown, black, white
HabitatDamp meadows, bogs, fens, forest clearings, riverbanks
Geographic RangeEurope, temperate Asia
Host PlantsRumex hydrolapathum, Rumex crispus, Rumex obtusifolius
Flight PeriodMay to September (typically two broods)
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plant leaves. Larvae are green and feed on the leaves, pupating near the ground in leaf litter.
Identification TipsMales have brilliant coppery-orange forewings, often with a purplish sheen on hindwings. Females are duller, more brownish-orange, with prominent black spots and a clear white-fringed hindwing margin.
Description
A medium-sized copper butterfly with orange-brown forewings and darker hindwings, both heavily spotted with black. The hindwings feature a distinctive white-scalloped border.
