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Grecian Copper
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Evros, Greece,
May 2004 (m) |
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Evros, Greece,
May 2004 (f)
Best upperside
of female I could achieve. |
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Macedonia,
Greece, July 2000 (m)
An old
specimen, this was the best photo I could get in extremely hot
conditions. |
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During 3 previous visits to Greece I only managed
to see 5
examples of this spectacular SE European species. Then in early May 2004
I finally found it more successfully. It seems it likes damper places
nearly always near running water courses or in coastal areas. It loves
flowers, particularly yellow centred white flowers but most flowers will
provide a suitable nectar source. It was difficult to photograph, mostly
because of weather conditions. The males we found were all worn, some
badly so, so I cannot improve on my 2000 male. The female I show above
was obliging on the underside but I only managed a single rather
disappointing upperside photo. The males are
of an
unusually rich bright copper colour with a characteristic copper-red
submarginal streak on the underside hindwing. I've only found it at
fairly low altitudes (sea level to about 500m). |
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