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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 477 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 06, 2022
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 07, 2022
Observation date: May 12, 2013
Submitted by: Scott Alexander
Region: Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Verified by: Charlie Doggett
Verified date: Aug 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 10, 2022
Submitted by: sfbaywildlife
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: May 25, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz@comcast.net
Region: White Pine County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 25, 2022
Observation date: Jul 10, 2022
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 15, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2012
Submitted by: lhrobinson9672
Region: Yellowstone National Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 07, 2022
Observation date: Jul 12, 2021
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Glacier County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Glacier County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Glacier County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: mongoose
Region: Glacier County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: dsperanza
Region: Powell County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: TParadox22
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 15, 2015
Submitted by: regina rochefort
Region: Pierce County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2021
Observation date: Jul 21, 2018
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 09, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 19, 2020
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