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 409 - 432 of 1262 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heuvelhorst, Bonnie with R. Baetsen, J. McDonough, M. & M. Schafer, N. Shutt, R. Urbanek)
Region: Schoolcraft County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Reinoehl, Jack)
Region: Hillsdale County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Ross, Stephen)
Region: Mecosta County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Carr, Thomas)
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Craves, Julie)
Region: Presque Isle County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Sep 28, 2011
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heuvelhorst, Bonnie with Rick & Boyne Baetsen, M. & M. Schafer)
Region: Chippewa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Perkins, Owen A.)
Region: Luce County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 26, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (William Bouton)
Region: Inyo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (McWhirter, Doug)
Region: Hillsdale County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Kriegel, Robert, Mogens Nielsen)
Region: Otsego County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Schipper, Russ)
Region: Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Heuvelhorst, Bonnie with J., R. Baetsen, J. Kaplan, S. Miklovic, J. Paruk, N. Rein, M., M. Schafer, K. Tischler, R. Urbanek, M. Williams)
Region: Schoolcraft County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 28, 2010
Submitted by: plex1ppus (plex1ppus)
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 08, 2011
Observation date: Jun 05, 2010
Submitted by: gerryq
Region: Latah County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: paulopler
Verified date: Jan 31, 2011
Observation date: Aug 10, 1967
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Emmel, Shields & Ellis)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 23, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Humboldt County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Sep 26, 2010
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Sep 28, 2010
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: Madison County, Montana, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Nov 04, 2010
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Sep 26, 2010
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Sep 28, 2010
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Jul 16, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Paul Opler and EviBuckner-Opler )
Region: Madison County, Montana, United States
Verified by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
Observation date: Nov 04, 2010
Submitted by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 31, 2010
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