Attributes of Lycaena heteronea
Blue Copper
Lycaena heteronea Boisduval, 1852
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upper surface of male bright blue, with darker veins; female dull blue to dark brown with numerous small dark spots. Underside of both sexes white to yellow-white; hindwing varies from having many to few black spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Most males patrol near host plants for females, but some perch. Females lay eggs singly on bracts under host leaves or umbels; eggs hatch the following spring. Young caterpillars feed on the underside of leaf; older ones eat all parts of the leaf.
Flight: One flight from May-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Wild buckwheat (Eriogonum species) in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers, including wild buckwheat.
Habitat: Brushy areas, open forest, mountain meadows, sagebrush; mostly at high elevations except for low elevations in central California.
Range: British Columbia south and east through southcentral California, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico.
Conservation: Lycaena heteronea has The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Varied Copper (subspecies clara) of southern California has been evaluated for conservation, and has The Nature Conservancy rank of T2 - Imperiled because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences), or because of other factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range. (Endangered throughout its range).
NCGR:
Management Needs: None reported.
Taxonomy Notes:
Images of Lycaena heteronea
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The map below displays all verified sighting records in the BAMONA database for this species. Each record is indicated with a yellow dot. The orange dots on the map provide access to information about the 200 most recently verified sightings of this species. In some instances, there are several records at the same location. Use the table view to access these records.
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The fifty most recently verified sightings are below. See more recently verified sightings of all species.
| Observation Date | Submitter | Region |
Verified Date |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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July 12, 2009 | pcastrovillo | Boise County, Idaho, United States | January 29, 2012 | Details |
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August 07, 2011 | Tommie Rogers | Elko County, Nevada, United States | September 29, 2011 | Details |
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August 25, 2011 | John Ashley | Flathead County, Montana, United States | September 04, 2011 | Details |
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July 12, 2011 | Jdammarell | Lincoln County, Washington, United States | July 23, 2011 | Details |
| August 09, 2004 | legacy.reporter (William Bouton) | Alpine County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| July 11, 2007 | legacy.reporter (Jeff Pippin) | Mono County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| August 09, 2004 | legacy.reporter (William Bouton) | Alpine County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| August 10, 1975 | legacy.reporter (Jim Brock) | Mono County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 09, 1962 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Marin County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 29, 1960 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Marin County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| July 07, 1962 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Sonoma County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| June 24, 1969 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Marin County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
| August 15, 1981 | legacy.reporter (unknown) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | May 01, 2011 | Details | |
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July 25, 2009 | plex1ppus (plex1ppus) | Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States | April 06, 2011 | Details |
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June 14, 2009 | plex1ppus (plex1ppus) | Spokane County, Washington, United States | March 11, 2011 | Details |
| July 16, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Madison County, Montana, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 11, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Madison County, Oregon, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 07, 2011 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Wasco County, Oregon, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 07, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Wasco County, Oregon, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 22, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Grand County, Utah, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 14, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Okanogan County, Washington, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 19, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Teton County, Wyoming, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 19, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Teton County, Wyoming, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 19, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Teton County, Wyoming, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 20, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Teton County, Wyoming, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 20, 2010 | legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler ) | Teton County, Wyoming, United States | December 31, 2010 | Details | |
| July 03, 1988 | legacy.reporter (R. Langston, C. Sekerman) | Sonoma County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 30, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 30, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 05, 1979 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 08, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 08, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 10, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 15, 1977 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 30, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 16, 1979 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| August 27, 1979 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 07, 1976 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 16, 1978 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| September 16, 1978 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Trinity County, California, United States | August 02, 2010 | Details | |
| July 22, 1990 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| August 10, 1983 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| July 24, 1987 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| July 13, 1985 | legacy.reporter (Sterling Mattoon) | Plumas County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| August 12, 1990 | legacy.reporter (Scott North) | Humboldt County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| August 01, 1990 | legacy.reporter (Scott North) | Humboldt County, California, United States | March 09, 2010 | Details | |
| June 28, 1987 | legacy.reporter (Laurence Crabtree) | Plumas County, California, United States | January 25, 2010 | Details | |
| July 22, 1990 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | January 25, 2010 | Details | |
| August 10, 1983 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | January 25, 2010 | Details | |
| July 24, 1987 | legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro) | Siskiyou County, California, United States | January 25, 2010 | Details |
