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 121 - 144 of 229 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 02, 2001
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: May 29, 1999
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: Jun 04, 1994
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: May 12, 1994
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kings County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: Jun 18, 2005
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: Jun 11, 2006
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: Jun 04, 2000
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: Jun 01, 1988
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Fresno County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 24, 2009
Observation date: Jun 25, 1984
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Sep 18, 2009
Observation date: May 31, 1999
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 24, 2006
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: May 30, 2002
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 21, 1998
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: May 24, 2005
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: May 13, 1961
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Garth & Tilden)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 15, 1986
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Derham Giuliani)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 20, 2002
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 17, 1989
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jul 04, 1983
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 13, 1953
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. H. Reid)
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Emmel & Emmel)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 27, 1999
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: May 14, 1976
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 29, 1990
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: May 09, 1986
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
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