Aim: Environmental and species-specific factors shape spatial patterns in genetic diversity and population structure. Comparing different species within the same area helps to disentangle more general from species-specific factors affecting such geographic patterns. Here, we examined genetic diversity and population structuring through geographic features in two alpine butterfly species. Location: European Alps. Taxon: Copper butterflies (Lycaena spp.). Methods: We sampled 21 Lycaena hippothoe and 14 L. virgaureae populations with 18 individuals per population. We analysed...