This species is so called because the male has a beautiful purple sheen across the upperside which can be seen from certain angles. It is one of the larger copper species and there are several forms found across Europe, such as L.a. gordius; a variety from Spain and Portugal which has less purple but stronger orange and black markings. The photos below demonstrate the variability of this species.
Distribution: Much of Europe but absent from S Iberia (except Sierra Nevada), NW France, Belgium, Netherlands, Fennoscandia, S Greece and the Mediterranean islands (except Sicily).
Flight Period: June-mid August in 1 brood.
Habitat: Meadows, subalpine grassland, scrub, rocky hillsides from 50-2500m.
Foodplants: Sorrels (Rumex).
Nectar Sources: Thymes (Thymus), Marjoram (Origanum majorana), Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Clary (Salvia sclarea), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Scabious (Knautia/Scabiosa) among others.
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- Purple-shot Copper, Erciyes Dagi, Turkey, August 2022
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- Purple-shot Copper, Gavarnie, France, July 2019
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- The foodplant, Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa).
g others.
