Gorgon Copper
Lycaena gorgon (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male coppery brown with bright reddish purple tinge; female dark brown with cream and black spots. Upperside of female hindwing with row of orange crescents next to row of small back spots. Underside of both sexes gray with black spots; hindwing with submarginal row of red-orange spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch and patrol for females near host plants. Eggs are laid singly on host flower stalks and hatch the next spring. Caterpillars eat leaves.
Flight: One flight from May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) including Eriogonum species.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Sage scrub, chaparral, foothill woodland, rocky hills and outcrops.
Range: Southern Oregon through California to Baja California.
Conservation: Not usually required. Some colonies lost to development and others degraded from effects of exotic grasses and other weeds.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 215 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 01, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: San Benito County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 05, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2021
Observation date: May 28, 2021
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: May 28, 2021
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: May 27, 2021
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2021
Observation date: May 08, 2021
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 17, 2021
Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2020
Observation date: May 21, 2020
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 04, 2020
Observation date: Jun 02, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 03, 2020
Observation date: Jul 06, 2019
Submitted by: Nancy Hamlett
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 10, 2019
Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2019
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 09, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2019
Observation date: Jul 09, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Trinity County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2019
Observation date: May 25, 2015
Submitted by: jrfleullan
Region: Stanislaus County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: Souledout
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
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