Lilac-bordered Copper
Lycaena nivalis (Boisduval, 1869)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male coppery brown with red-orange sheen; females brown to orange. Underside yellow or cream with a pink-purple tinge toward the outer edge.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 3/8 inches (2.5 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch in hollows in open areas to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on or near base of host plant; hibernate until the next spring. Caterpillars feed on leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Douglas\' knotweed (Polygonum douglasii) in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open forest, sagebrush hillsides near streams, rocky valley floors.
Range: British Columbia south and east to central California, Wyoming, and Colorado.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 341 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 13, 2013
Submitted by: sfbaywildlife
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 02, 2022
Observation date: Aug 28, 2021
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 06, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 28, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: Tim Shortell
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jun 28, 2021
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021
Observation date: Jun 01, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 04, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jun 16, 2012
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 07, 2020
Submitted by: Tim Shortell
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Sep 22, 2020
Observation date: Aug 05, 2020
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 05, 2020
Observation date: Aug 02, 2020
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 03, 2020
Observation date: Jul 22, 2020
Submitted by: Shearwater13
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2020
Observation date: Jul 19, 2020
Submitted by: lewismagpie
Region: Okanogan County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 19, 2020
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2020
Observation date: Jun 14, 2020
Submitted by: sagebird52
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 15, 2020
Observation date: Jul 10, 2018
Submitted by: naers
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 08, 2019
Observation date: Aug 04, 2019
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 06, 2019
Observation date: Jul 24, 2019
Submitted by: joeleahy
Region: Routt County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Aug 04, 2019
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: 4oclockwatch
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2019
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