Dorcas Copper
Lycaena dorcas (W. Kirby, 1837)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside brown; male with blue-purple iridescence, female with few light areas. Hindwing with a few red-orange spots on border near anal angle. Underside is orange-brown.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch and patrol near hostplants for females. Eggs are laid singly on the underside of host leaflets and drop to the ground in autumn. The eggs overwinter and in the spring the young caterpillars must find their way to the host plant to feed on the leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) and other cinquefoils.
Adult Food: Not reported.
Habitat: Edges of bogs, old brushy fields, open places near small streams.
Range: Boreal Alaska and Canada south to Washington, east to eastern Ontario and the northern Great Lakes states. Isolated population in Maine.
Conservation: Subspecies claytoni in Maine should be conserved.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Manage and conserve habitat of Clayton\'s copper in Maine.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 133 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 07, 2018
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Jackson County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 08, 2018
Observation date: Aug 08, 2018
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 21, 2018
Observation date: Aug 09, 2018
Submitted by: Reiner Jakubowski
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 21, 2018
Observation date: Jul 05, 2018
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Price County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 13, 2018
Observation date: Aug 06, 2017
Submitted by: 907Naturalist
Region: Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Oct 12, 2017
Observation date: Aug 13, 2017
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Iosco County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 14, 2017
Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: RobertWeeden
Region: Fairbanks North Star, Alaska, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 03, 2017
Observation date: Jul 29, 2017
Submitted by: philsfotos1
Region: Iosco County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 29, 2017
Observation date: Aug 06, 2016
Submitted by: 4wildlife
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 31, 2016
Observation date: Aug 03, 2016
Submitted by: kmelville
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 14, 2016
Observation date: Aug 01, 2016
Submitted by: kmelville
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 14, 2016
Observation date: Aug 03, 2016
Submitted by: kmelville
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 14, 2016
Observation date: Jul 19, 2010
Submitted by: beastbreath
Region: Beaver Island County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 21, 2016
Observation date: Jul 10, 2015
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 30, 2015
Observation date: Aug 23, 2015
Submitted by: Carmel Mothersill
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 29, 2015
Observation date: Jul 22, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 27, 2014
Observation date: Jul 17, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 27, 2014
Observation date: Jul 22, 2014
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 27, 2014
Observation date: Jul 31, 2014
Submitted by: routledge_Sault...
Region: Chippewa County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 11, 2014
Observation date: Aug 02, 2014
Submitted by: frogbandit
Region: Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Aug 10, 2014
Observation date: Jul 10, 2014
Submitted by: BOGwalker
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Jul 12, 2014
Observation date: Jul 15, 2012
Submitted by: pmessing
Region: Ogemaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller
Verified date: Oct 01, 2013
Observation date: Dec 31, 1969
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Clifford D. Ferris)
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Dec 01, 2012
Observation date: Jul 18, 2012
Submitted by: swimperi
Region: Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 05, 2012
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