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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 53 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 03, 1991
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (G. Ballmer, J. Emmel)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 08, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Charles Sekerman)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 12, 1994
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jack Levy)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 05, 2010
Observation date: Jun 01, 1993
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jack Levy)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 05, 2010
Observation date: Jun 18, 1924
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. A. Comstock)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (J. A. Comstock)
Verified date: Jan 04, 2010
Observation date: Jun 16, 1924
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. A. Comstock)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (J. A. Comstock)
Verified date: Jan 04, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John R. Heitzman)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (William H. Howe)
Verified date: Dec 17, 2009
Observation date: May 29, 1936
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. W. Tilden)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Oct 15, 2009
Observation date: Jun 01, 1932
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. Dammers)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Emmel & Emmel)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jun 13, 1924
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. A. Comstock)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Emmel & Emmel)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: May 31, 1958
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Emmel & Emmel)
Verified date: Aug 28, 2009
Observation date: Jul 01, 1906
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (G. Field)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 07, 1959
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 11, 1955
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (F.T. Thorne)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 08, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (N. Bloomfield)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 08, 1969
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 03, 1967
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 10, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (N. Bloomfield)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 20, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (N. Bloomfield)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 25, 1968
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: May 14, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (N. Bloomfield)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jul 02, 1906
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (G. Field)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: Jun 19, 1938
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Merit)
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (P.A. Opler)
Verified date: Oct 29, 2008
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