Large copper Lycaena dispar (Haworth, 1802) (Lepidoptera) – the first record of the species in the fauna of the Polar Urals (Russia)

Abstract

The north boundary of the large copper Lycaena dispar (Haworth, 1802) range extends in most regions in mixed coniferous-broad leaved forest zone and at the south of taiga zone. The gradual spread of L. dispar to the north has been observed in the last two decades in literature. The paper is based on July 2023 field material when L. dispar was discovered for the first time on the eastern macroslope of the Polar Urals and in the city of Vorkuta (Russia). Data on abundance, occurrence and bionomics are presented. Questions on parthenogenesis, adaptation of this species to conditions of the Arctic and the most likely routes of its penetration into the Polar Urals and Cis-Urals are discussed

Keywords

• lycaena dispar
• distribution
• polar urals