The Small Copper is one of our less common butterflies. It can produce two or three broods per year and over-winters as a larva.
The Larval food plants are Docks and Sorrel. Adults from the first brood are on the wing in late spring, from the second in July or early August
and the third in early September and October. It is often seen on thistle flowers.
Adults in flight: MOST SEEN on ANY ONE DAY in early, mid and late month thirds.
Small Copper sightings at Roseland House, Great Yeldham. All species numbers
March
April
May
June
July
August
Sept
Oct
2011
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-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
2012
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
1
-
-
-
-
2013
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2014
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2015
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2016
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2017
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
-
-
-
1
1
1
-
1
-
-
1
-
-
-
2018
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
-
1
-
1
1
1
1
-
-
-
2019
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
-
1
-
1
-
-
-
-
2020
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
1
1
-
-
-
2021
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2022
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
2
2
-
-
-
-
2023
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
1
1
1
2
1
-
2024
-
-
-
-
-
Weather notes:
2011. July - early August very wet.
2012. April - mid July very wet. August to mid September dry.
2013. Winter wet, March and early April, very cold. The rest of the spring was mostly cold. July, mostly very warm. August, warm.
2014. Winter very wet, mild. Spring was early, colder in mid April. Summer to early August, warm without a drought.
2015. Winter normal, March, April - May mostly cold. Sallow flowers opened on March 28 - 29th. Summer, fairly normal.
2016. Winter normal. Sallow flowers opened on April 2 - 3rd. Spring mostly cool and breezy. For a few weeks in late spring there was heavy rainfall and saturated soil and vegetation.
Late summer with hot, dry periods.
2017. Winter mildish, hardly any frost. Sallow flowers opened on March 14 - 15th. Warm spells in March. April mostly dry and chilly. First Creeping Thistle flowers open on June 13th,
followed by about 7 days of heat wave. Early July was very warm, excellent for counting butterflies. Late summer, autumn normal.
2018. Winter normal with a few days of settled snow. Sallow flowers open on March 26th. March, April mostly cold and wet, May warm. June 11, Bramble flowers opening to greet first Large Skippers.
Mid June to early August, very hot and dry. Autumn mostly dry.
2019. Winter normal. Hardly any frost. Sallow flowers seen on March 10th. Spring mostly cool apart from Easter heatwave. May 31, Bramble flowers starting to open. June 1, Buckthorn in full bloom.
Dryish summer with some heatwaves.
2020. Mildish winter. Sallow flowers open March 10th. Spring mostly cool. Several warm days in early April and through May. May 28 Bramble flowers opening. Record dry May. June nectar sources mostly
Buttercups in the unmown paths, and Brambles.
2021.Winter normal. Very wet, early spring then cold. Sallow flowers opened on March 23rd. Summer with a few hot spells and moderate rain.
2022. Winter, normal. Sallow flowers open on March 18th. Bramble flowers open May 28. Summer, mostly very dry with long hot spells.
2023. Winter normal, some frost. Feb very dry, March very wet. Sallow flowers open on March 21st. Cold wet spring followed by hottest May on record, warm June and wet July. Autumn, mild and wet.
2024. Winter mild and wet. Feb very wet. Sallow flowers open on March 13th.
Other personal sightings:
27 July 2009. Great Yeldham. Mann's Cross. 1 Small Copper.
31 July 2009. Great Yeldham. Mann's Cross. 1 Small Copper.
31 July 2011. Engine Bank, Mepal. Late morning to mid day. Bright intervals, fairly windy. 4 Small Coppers.
14 and 15 Aug 2011. Aldeburgh. North Warren. Few Small Coppers including 1 blue-spotted.
26 Aug 2012. Aston Rowant. 3 Small Coppers.
15 Sept 2012. Devil's Dyke, Newmarket Heath, opposite to the July Course Stands. 1 Small Copper.
9 June 2013. Bison Hill, Whipsnade. 1 Small Copper.
18 June 2013. Whitecross Green Wood. 2 Small Coppers.
18 June 2013. Aston Rowant. 1 Small Copper.
20 May 2014. Gosfield. 1 Small Copper.
24 July, 2 August 2014. Roseland House. 1 Small Copper each time.
7 Aug. 2014. Stambourne, footpath to Park Wood. 1 Small Copper.
11 June 2017. Halstead, footpath leading east from Halstead. 1 Small Copper.
