Purple-edged Copper Lycaena hippothoe

Lycaena hippothoe became extinct here in 1946: it was the first Dutch resident species to suffer this fate. This was probably due to habitat being lost as agricultural land use intensified. It occurred on wet, nutrient-poor grassland, using Rumex spp. as larval foodplant. It flew in one short generation in June and hibernated as a half-grown caterpillar. The species is classified as 'extinct' on the 2006 Red List. However, re-colonisation from Belgian or German populations could become a possibility if suitable habitat were developed on the banks of certain streams in the south of the province of Limburg; at present, there is hardly any habitat left.

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Auteur(s)

Wynhoff, I., Swaay, C. van, Bosveld, M., Groenendijk, D., Bos, F.