Gorgon Copper
Lycaena gorgon (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male coppery brown with bright reddish purple tinge; female dark brown with cream and black spots. Upperside of female hindwing with row of orange crescents next to row of small back spots. Underside of both sexes gray with black spots; hindwing with submarginal row of red-orange spots.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch and patrol for females near host plants. Eggs are laid singly on host flower stalks and hatch the next spring. Caterpillars eat leaves.
Flight: One flight from May-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Plants in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) including Eriogonum species.
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Sage scrub, chaparral, foothill woodland, rocky hills and outcrops.
Range: Southern Oregon through California to Baja California.
Conservation: Not usually required. Some colonies lost to development and others degraded from effects of exotic grasses and other weeds.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might 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 25 - 48 of 222 verified sightings
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Observation date: Jun 21, 2019
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/gorgoncopper060819pineflatrd.jpg?itok=pQwfukKx)
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 09, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sab_4985.jpg?itok=qfzTrX5p)
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sab_6673.jpg?itok=X9P_Rh0W)
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/sab_5650.jpg?itok=x8_8n8Bw)
Observation date: Jul 09, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Trinity County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/goco.jpg?itok=ca6GLlAR)
Observation date: May 25, 2015
Submitted by: jrfleullan
Region: Stanislaus County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2019
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/sol_26.jpg?itok=KeX0VWC7)
Observation date: Jun 21, 2018
Submitted by: Souledout
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 25, 2018
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/gorgoncoper060418pythhianroad.jpg?itok=5l7Vef5y)
Observation date: Jun 04, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 06, 2018
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1640468.jpg?itok=dG6W99xb)
Observation date: May 31, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 01, 2018
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/gorgoncopper052918pineflatroadsm.jpg?itok=vLiid0dW)
Observation date: May 29, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2018
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/p1640005_1.jpg?itok=N5SwFP28)
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2018
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/gorgoncopper052718pineflatrod.jpg?itok=m7lBV7sv)
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2018
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/gorgoncopper.jpg?itok=Q9d19Puc)
Observation date: Jun 02, 2013
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 03, 2017
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/filefield_paths/dsc09963-nlv-50-2-25-1.jpg?itok=8mOiHqaZ)
Observation date: May 29, 2017
Submitted by: Selwyn Quan
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 31, 2017
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0650_4.jpg?itok=HkGZRRCD)
Observation date: Aug 14, 2016
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 17, 2016
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/copper_gorgone_butterfly_sherman_pass_kern_co_ca_ju_12_2016_jhc_210.jpg?itok=HU8CRoHq)
Observation date: Jun 12, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 30, 2016
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn2113.jpg?itok=MwK5RYmH)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2015
Submitted by: Kurt R. Schwarz
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 09, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_im_6960.jpg?itok=5vC0Kxlu)
Observation date: May 11, 2015
Submitted by: Nancy Asquith
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/_im_6952.jpg?itok=Xys9jsNs)
Observation date: May 11, 2015
Submitted by: Nancy Asquith
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 20, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5492_1.jpg?itok=CApkrJR5)
Observation date: May 28, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5476_3.jpg?itok=5qxr40ae)
Observation date: May 28, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_5497_1.jpg?itok=lUWaeWD0)
Observation date: May 28, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc01749_0.jpg?itok=uLsh3FBm)
Observation date: Jun 14, 2015
Submitted by: Selwyn Quan
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 16, 2015
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p1640162.jpg?itok=652k51BR)
Observation date: May 08, 2015
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 15, 2015
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