Large Copper L. Dispar

 

29 July 2025

Over recent years, I have struggled to obtain livestock of this species. On the occasions that I did get some, I have not been very successful in achieving my objective of rearing and breeding so that I have hundreds of Large Copper butterflies flying in an enclosed suitable environment.

As of today, I have (1) about a dozen small larvae, form a single pairing earlier this year, that entered hibernation early-mid June 2025.

I also have (2) numerous eggs and some hatchling larvae obtained from more then one pairing of butterflies resulting from some pupae supplied by Tony Rouse.

Regarding batch 1, I had hoped that the larvae would have fed up and produced a second brood this year, from which I would have plenty of livestock to take through the winter. But, in June, the larvae turned brown and took up resting positions. I was somewhat concerned as to how they were going to survive from June through to spring 2026 due to their small size and how long the hibernation period would be. When checking them today in their slightly ventilated plastic pot, I added a small rolled up piece of damp kitchen roll and closed the lid again. A few hours later, I noticed that about half-a-dozen of the larvae had moved onto the ball of damp kitchen roll. This activity made we wonder if they wanted to resume feeding or were just feeling dehydrated, so I placed a fresh leaf of Great Water Dock in the container.It didn't take long for a number of the larvae to move onto the fresh pieces of dock leaf.

Above is the container that the larvae have been kept in since they stopped feeding in June.

 

Here are two larvae on the inside of the lid, shown against a ruler for size.

Some of the larvae on the dry dock leaf placed on top of a fresh piece of dock.

After just a few minutes, some of the larvae moved onto pieces of freshly cut Great Water Dock.

Regarding batch 2, 

Above, eggs were on a number of leaves of growing, potted, dock. There are over 100 eggs on the upper surface of this leaf

And a smaller number of eggs were laid on the underside of the same leaf.

On this larger leaf, feeding signs are already apparent.

Along with some small larvae on the underside

and along the main stem.