Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Gray Copper
Lycaena dione (Scudder, 1868)


Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Dark gray above with 2 black spots on forewing. Outer edge of hindwing with pale orange and black band. Below, wings pale gray with black spots. Outer hindwing band repeated.
Wing Span: 1 1/3 - 1 ½ inches (2.4 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Male perch and patrol periodically in search of receptive females.
Flight: One flight from mid-June to July, rarely August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several species of docks (Rumex).
Adult Food: Flower nectar of various plants including alfalfa, sweet clover, and milkweeds.
Habitat: Relatively flat open areas including prairies, waste fields, stream beds, edges of reservoirs.
Range: Southern Canadian prairie provinces south through Great Plains to southern Missouri, Oklahoma, and northern Texas.
Conservation: None reported. Host plants adapted to weedy conditions. Butterflies seem to adapt to wide range of conditions.
NCGR: G5. Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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