Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Ruddy Copper
Lycaena rubidus (Behr, 1866)


Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male bright red-orange; female duller orange-brown to dark brown. Underside of both sexes gray-white to gray-yellow; hindwing with or without muted black spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 5/8 inches (2.9 - 4.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch in open areas and along streams or gulches to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on or near the base of the host plant. Eggs hibernate.
Flight: One flight from June-July at lower elevations; from July-August at higher elevations.
Caterpillar Hosts: Dock (Rumex) species in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Dry gravelly or sandy areas such as arid streamsides, sagebrush, scrub, dry fields, alluvial washes.
Range: British Columbia east to North Dakota; south to central California, and northern New Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required. Nature Conservancy Rank: G-5, Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
NCGR:
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Lycaena rubida
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