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 97 - 120 of 510 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 31, 2015
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Aug 16, 2015
Observation date: Jul 08, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 28, 2015
Observation date: Apr 26, 2006
Submitted by: lolo
Region: Blaine County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jul 27, 2015
Observation date: Jul 08, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 24, 2015
Observation date: Sep 12, 2014
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 17, 2014
Observation date: Aug 02, 2014
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 10, 2014
Observation date: Jul 04, 2014
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Lincoln County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2014
Observation date: Jul 04, 2014
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Lincoln County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2014
Observation date: Jul 04, 2014
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Lincoln County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2014
Observation date: Jul 26, 2013
Submitted by: Tahoe Butterflies
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 08, 2014
Observation date: Aug 10, 2013
Submitted by: npaprock
Region: Idaho County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: kent
Verified date: Feb 09, 2014
Observation date: Jun 22, 2013
Submitted by: davidwdroppers
Region: Okanogan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Dec 16, 2013
Observation date: Aug 11, 2013
Submitted by: ccrosby98
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 23, 2013
Observation date: Jul 17, 2013
Submitted by: MTmariposa
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Aug 02, 2013
Observation date: Jul 05, 2012
Submitted by: rjboehnke
Region: Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 20, 2012
Observation date: Jul 17, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John B. Vernon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 17, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John B. Vernon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 10, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (K Hansen-S. Mattoon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 23, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John B. Vernon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 08, 2012
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Kittitas County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 11, 2012
Observation date: Jun 24, 2012
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Kittitas County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 26, 2012
Observation date: Jul 12, 2009
Submitted by: pcastrovillo
Region: Boise County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: kent
Verified date: Jan 29, 2012
Observation date: Jul 17, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John B. Vernon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 23, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John B. Vernon)
Region: Elko County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
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