Blue Copper
Lycaena heteronea Boisduval, 1852
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upper surface of male bright blue, with darker veins; female dull blue to dark brown with numerous small dark spots. Underside of both sexes white to yellow-white; hindwing varies from having many to few black spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Most males patrol near host plants for females, but some perch. Females lay eggs singly on bracts under host leaves or umbels; eggs hatch the following spring. Young caterpillars feed on the underside of leaf; older ones eat all parts of the leaf.
Flight: One flight from May-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Wild buckwheat (Eriogonum species) in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers, including wild buckwheat.
Habitat: Brushy areas, open forest, mountain meadows, sagebrush; mostly at high elevations except for low elevations in central California.
Range: British Columbia south and east through southcentral California, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico.
Conservation: Lycaena heteronea has The Nature Conservancy Global Rank of G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Varied Copper (subspecies clara) of southern California has been evaluated for conservation, and has The Nature Conservancy rank of T2 - Imperiled because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences), or because of other factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range. (Endangered throughout its range).
NCGR:
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 454 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 19, 2020
Observation date: Jun 06, 2020
Submitted by: Birder2
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Jun 29, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 12, 2020
Observation date: Aug 17, 2020
Submitted by: bellhanley
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 30, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 2020
Submitted by: Colimabirder
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 28, 2020
Observation date: Jun 30, 2020
Submitted by: Brush_lady
Region: Union County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2020
Observation date: Jun 11, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 12, 2020
Observation date: Jul 21, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Gilpin County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 30, 2020
Observation date: Aug 12, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 31, 2020
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 21, 2018
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 19, 2019
Observation date: Jul 06, 2019
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Nov 05, 2019
Observation date: Aug 20, 2019
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Cascade County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 17, 2019
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Lincoln County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 27, 2019
Observation date: Jun 17, 2019
Submitted by: Vickie J Anderson
Region: Kittitas County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 21, 2019
Observation date: Aug 01, 2005
Submitted by: hydapse
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 21, 2019
Observation date: Jul 03, 2016
Submitted by: KateTweedy
Region: Fremont County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 05, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2018
Submitted by: Todd Stefanic
Region: Butte County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 03, 2018
Observation date: Jul 20, 2018
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 10, 2018
Observation date: Aug 06, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 19, 2018
Observation date: Jul 15, 2018
Submitted by: Flutterby45
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 03, 2018
Observation date: Jul 18, 2018
Submitted by: 4oclockwatch
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2018
Observation date: Aug 20, 2017
Submitted by: Todd Stefanic
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 30, 2018
Observation date: Jul 26, 2018
Submitted by: dsperanza
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 30, 2018
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