lycaena tityrus

Sooty Copper (Lycaena tityrus)

2009 photos highlighted in yellow. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.


8503_male_Alpes de Haute Provence_24Jul07	13649_male_Lozere_21Aug08	17207_male_Alpes Maritimes_04Jul09

19022_male_Lozere_26Aug09	11808_male_Alpes Maritimes_30Jun08	8511_female_Alpes de Haute Provence_24Jul07

7371_female_Alpes Maritimes_24Jun07	14061_female_Var_28Aug08	17147_female_Alpes Maritimes_03Jul09

This species seems to be quite common, 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 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 Alps, the dark, almost black, subspecies subalpinus predominates.

8503: a fresh (perfect white margins) and fairly typical male of the nominate form, with slightly stronger than normal orange lunules especially on the upf. Altitude 700m.

13649: a male of the nominate form. Altitude 1200m.

17207: a male of the subspecies subalpinus. Altitude 1875m.

19022: a male of the nominate form. Altitude 480m.

11808: a male underside of the subspecies subalpinus. Altitude 2100m.

8511: a typical, if slightly worn, female of the nominate form. Altitude 700m.

7371: 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. Altitude 2100m.

14061: a typical female underside of the nominate form. Altitude 780m.

17147: a female underside of the subspecies subalpinus, very fresh and with beautifully subtle colouring. Altitude 1875m.

8503_male_Alpes de Haute Provence_24Jul07