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Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male brown with purple iridescence; female more orange. Hindwing of both sexes with broad orange band at margin.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (3 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch and sometimes patrol in low spots for females. Eggs are scattered at the base of the host plant or in litter beneath it. Eggs hibernate; caterpillars feed on leaves.
Flight: Three or four flights in lower elevation California. Two flights in many areas from May-July and from August-October. One flight at high altitude and far northern habitats from July-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Knotweeds (Polygonum) and docks (Rumex) in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), cinquefoils in the rose family (Rosaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Disturbed areas including roadsides and open fields; wet meadows, marshes, streamsides, and valleys.
Range: Great Lakes area through the northern Midwest and northern plains to British Columbia, south to Baja California. Comments: The distinction between the Purplish Copper and the Dorcas Copper is blurred in the Rocky Mountains. These populations here are considered under the Purplish Copper.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 361 - 384 of 1262 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 17, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 07, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 07, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 13, 1983
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R & D Rosche)
Region: Lincoln County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 09, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 09, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. Vernon-R. Langston)
Region: Humboldt County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Sep 28, 1967
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 10, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (K Hansen-S. Mattoon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 13, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 23, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 07, 1988
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 23, 1977
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: May 17, 1978
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (George T. Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Oct 10, 1964
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Anna Austin)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 24, 2012
Submitted by: bondekid
Region: Clallam County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Sep 25, 2012
Observation date: Aug 26, 2012
Submitted by: Geoff Urwin
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Sep 01, 2012
Observation date: Aug 28, 2012
Submitted by: Dave Kinney
Region: Wexford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Aug 29, 2012
Observation date: Aug 25, 2012
Submitted by: John Barry
Region: King County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 27, 2012
Observation date: Aug 04, 2012
Submitted by: apocewicz
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 17, 2012
Observation date: Jun 01, 2012
Submitted by: Darrelljn
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 15, 2012
Observation date: Aug 13, 2012
Submitted by: eal79
Region: Skamania County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 15, 2012
Observation date: Aug 05, 2012
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Skamania County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 14, 2012
Observation date: Jul 28, 2012
Submitted by: allelopath
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 10, 2012
Observation date: Jul 29, 2012
Submitted by: BillBradford
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 01, 2012
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