Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus)
2011 photos highlighted in green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 8503_male_Alpes-de-Haute-Provence_24Jul07 | 17207_male_Alpes-Maritimes_04Jul09 - subalpinus | 8511_female_Alpes-de-Haute-Provence_24Jul07 |
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| 7371_female_Alpes-Maritimes_24Jun07 - subalpinus | 19022_male_Lozère_26Aug09 | 11808_male_Alpes-Maritimes_30Jun08 - subalpinus |
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| 26366_male_Alpes-Maritimes_06Jul11 | 14061_female_Var_28Aug08 | 17147_female_Alpes-Maritimes_03Jul09 - subalpinus |
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This species seems to be quite widespread, appearing in most localities I have visited in France, but not in great numbers. The female has the usual upperside copper markings, but the male is uniformly dark brown with some orange submarginal marks, with the upf black markings showing up clearly. The male underside often has a silvery-grey-white ground colour with a “square” corner at the hindwing anal angle, whereas the female is more rounded, with heavier, more orange markings. |
A delightful little butterfly that seems quite easy to follow as it has a habit or returning to the same place. It has wide altitude range, from lowland areas, up to 2000m or more. At high altitudes in the Alpes, the dark, almost black, subspecies subalpinus predominates; this is true for both sexes. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 8503 | M |
a fresh (perfect white margins) and fairly typical male of the nominate form, with slightly stronger than normal orange lunules especially on the upf. |
700 |
| 17207 | M |
a male of the subspecies subalpinus. |
1875 |
| 8511 | F |
a typical, if slightly worn, female of the nominate form. |
700 |
| 7371 | F |
a female upperside of the subspecies subalpinus, with slightly stronger than normal marginal markings, even a slight hint of orange, on both the upf and uph. |
2100 |
| 19022 | M |
a male of the nominate form. |
480 |
| 11808 | M |
a male of the subspecies subalpinus. |
2100 |
| 26366 | M | a fresh male, the delicate beige ground colour contrasting nicely with the black markings and the submarginal orange band. | 1000 |
| 14061 | F |
a typical female of the nominate form. |
780 |
| 17147 | F |
a female of the subspecies subalpinus, very fresh and with beautifully subtle colouring. |
1875 |
8503_male_Alpes-de-Haute-Provence_24Jul07
17207_male_Alpes-Maritimes_04Jul09 - subalpinus
8511_female_Alpes-de-Haute-Provence_24Jul07
7371_female_Alpes-Maritimes_24Jun07 - subalpinus
11808_male_Alpes-Maritimes_30Jun08 - subalpinus
26366_male_Alpes-Maritimes_06Jul11
17147_female_Alpes-Maritimes_03Jul09 - subalpinus
