It's a very peculiar Copper indeed - However it was caused!

I took a look at the Cockayne website and gynandromorph came closest.

Certainly I've never seen one before

Hoggers.

Hi Pauline : after 55 minutes they were still coupled?!?

That's amazing! The longest I've recorded is 22 minutes.

I guess they liked each other an awful lot !

Best wishes

Hoggers

I saw 121 Small Coppers at Dungeness today including this lovely radiata And this very peculiar one Looks like two different Coppers stuck together! Is it a gynandromorph?

I've put more photos in my diary to aid identification

Cheers

Hoggers

At least we know they're safe here, David : they've had the good sense to make their home in a world famous nature reserve! It was glorious at Dungeness today with wall to wall sunshine and no wind to speak of. We are now seeing the benefit of this year's massive second brood: today I counted 121 Sm...

Goldie,from all that I've heard recently about the national scarcity of Small Coppers I think tracking down one of your very own is a far greater achievement than seeing them at Dungeness where it's hard not to step on one! It's a shame that you couldn't visit though because I'm sure you'd have love...

I've seen reports in both local and national newspapers highlighting the decline in our Small Copper population, David: I hope Butterfly Conservation & Co have their experts working on a solution. It was a case of Extreme Coppering at Dungeness this morning, blowing a gale but nonetheless plenty...

Thanks for the ID, Vince : I think just about any question could be asked on this forum and there'd be someone with an answer! Looking at the Lancaster as it flew away reminded me of this Small Copper IMG_1323.JPG (I haven't noticed the bluish tinge above the body before but it's very attractive.) I...

The mystery aeroplanes circled back over my house so I grabbed a camera and got this photo from the bedroom window ID,anyone?!

Hoggers

Do come down and visit, Neil : it's well worth it! This morning I counted 55 Small Coppers at Dungeness of which 28 were fresh IMG_1277.JPG IMG_1259.JPG IMG_1248.JPG IMG_1202.JPG IMG_1204.JPG To me they all seem to be different IMG_1220.JPG IMG_1222.JPG And I never get tired of seeing them IMG_1255....

Hi Neil, top class report and photographs as always! I have never come across a Small Copper like your one with pale fore and hind wing. I found one which had both forewings a lovely pale lemon colour once and I do see the occasional Copper with a pale right forewing now and again. For some reason i...

Dungeness this morning was sunny and very warm IMG_1145.JPG Of the 92 Small Coppers that I saw today I counted 24 fresh ones IMG_1151.JPG This time last year on my usual walk I'd count around 40 of them, so you can see how well the Dungeness Small Coppers have done this season. Brown Argus and Commo...

Although there are many second brood Small Coppers still at Dungeness IMG_1071.JPG IMG_1133.JPG There's been a definite emergence of fresh ones over the last few days IMG_1101.JPG IMG_1108.JPG IMG_1059.JPG IMG_1015.JPG IMG_1036.JPG I did a shortened version of my usual walk this morning IMG_1092.JPG...

You've picked a good time to visit Dungeness,Goldie. Although the second brood is in decline,fresh Small Coppers are now appearing in ever increasing numbers. I've watched the second brood as it passed its height in numbers and also noted how the condition of the butterflies deteriorated. Since last...

Thanks for the comments Allan and Wurzel, much appreciated. Delighted to hear your Small Copper season has finally got off the ground, Goldie! I hope you get to visit the Coppers of Dungeness when you come south for your holiday. I had a look round this morning and there are good numbers of Coppers ...

Excellent! And a Blue Badger as well!

I hope you get many more when you visit Dungeness,

Hoggers.

110 Small Coppers at Dungeness today ranging in condition from this to this And one of them a lovely "extensa" Best wishes,

Hoggers.

Coppering conditions at Dungeness were much better today with bags of sunshine and just a polite whiffle of breeze in place of yesterday's rude wind. Tough survivors of the second brood continue to hang on with great determination IMG_0715.JPG Most are bashed, dented and worn but by no means defeate...

Hello Allan, the second brood is definitely on the wane, but what a second brood it was! Numbers reached a staggering high over the weekend of 16/17th July when I counted over 500 Small Coppers.That will take a lot of beating! I walked my usual route today in sunny and very windy conditions. Small C...

Hi Goldie, I'm sure you'll see plenty: the second brood is looking rather worn now but numbers are high and still some fresh ones to be found. Hi Neil, good luck finding yourself a local Copper (or two) next week. I visited Dungeness late morning today with a friend of mine, Brian, who has begun to ...

There were lots of butterflies at Dungeness this morning: the Brown Argus are very noticable IMG_0455.JPG and Common Blue IMG_0457.JPG IMG_0458.JPG Marbled Whites, Painted Lady (4), Red Admiral, Peacock, and a profusion of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper including this lightly coloured one IMG_0503.JPG ...