Hermes Copper
Lycaena hermes (W.H. Edwards, 1870)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Each hindwing has 1 tail. Upperside brown with yellow-orange patch surrounding black spots. Underside bright yellow; forewing with 4-6 black spots, hindwing with 3-6 black spots.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on twigs of host plant; they hibernate until the following spring. Caterpillars eat young leaves.
Flight: One flight from May-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Redberry (Rhamnus crocea) in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of wild buckwheat (Eriogonum) in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Habitat: Mixed woodlands, chaparral, and coastal sage scrub.
Range: Restricted range from San Diego County and adjacent Baja California Norte.
Conservation: Species of concern for U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many colonies lost to development or threatened by fire.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Protect existing colonies from habitat loss and fragmentation.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 53 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 03, 2022
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 23, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 25, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 19, 2021
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2020
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 24, 2020
Observation date: Jun 22, 2019
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 10, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 11, 2019
Observation date: Jun 11, 2016
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 11, 2019
Observation date: Jun 18, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 28, 2018
Observation date: Jun 01, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 28, 2018
Observation date: May 30, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 21, 2017
Observation date: Jun 03, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 07, 2017
Observation date: Jun 03, 2017
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 07, 2017
Observation date: May 18, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2017
Observation date: May 13, 2017
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 18, 2017
Observation date: May 30, 2015
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2015
Observation date: May 30, 2015
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2015
Observation date: May 30, 2015
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2015
Observation date: May 30, 2015
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 02, 2015
Observation date: May 30, 2015
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 02, 2015
Observation date: Jun 03, 2001
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jim Brock)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA
Region:
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
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