Ruddy Copper
Lycaena rubidus (Behr, 1866)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male bright red-orange; female duller orange-brown to dark brown. Underside of both sexes gray-white to gray-yellow; hindwing with or without muted black spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 5/8 inches (2.9 - 4.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch in open areas and along streams or gulches to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on or near the base of the host plant. Eggs hibernate.
Flight: One flight from June-July at lower elevations; from July-August at higher elevations.
Caterpillar Hosts: Dock (Rumex) species in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Dry gravelly or sandy areas such as arid streamsides, sagebrush, scrub, dry fields, alluvial washes.
Range: British Columbia east to North Dakota; south to central California, and northern New Mexico.
Conservation: Not usually required. Nature Conservancy Rank: G-5, Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
NCGR:
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Lycaena rubida
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 387 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 03, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 16, 2021
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: Aug 06, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 09, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: rebeccagracey
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Aug 08, 2008
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 13, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Laramie County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2020
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Park County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 28, 2020
Observation date: Jul 16, 2020
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: San Miguel County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 21, 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 08, 2020
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 22, 2020
Observation date: Aug 07, 2020
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Jul 09, 2020
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 27, 2020
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: joeschelling
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 05, 2020
Observation date: Jun 10, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Lassen County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 19, 2020
Observation date: Jul 14, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Lake County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 30, 2020
Observation date: Aug 05, 2019
Submitted by: AaronB
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Apr 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 09, 2019
Observation date: Jun 16, 2013
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 19, 2019
Observation date: Jul 28, 2019
Submitted by: EdVermeulen
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 06, 2019
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