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 1 - 24 of 504 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 28, 2006
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 28, 2024
Observation date: Aug 10, 1985
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 28, 2024
Observation date: Aug 04, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 07, 2024
Observation date: Jul 18, 2024
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 07, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 28, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 30, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 30, 2024
Observation date: Aug 10, 2019
Submitted by: eattaway92
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 25, 2024
Observation date: Aug 13, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Salt Lake County, Utah, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Sep 11, 2023
Observation date: Jul 26, 2022
Submitted by: Beth Polvino
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 25, 2022
Submitted by: Beth Polvino
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 05, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 23, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2023
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 24, 2023
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 13, 2022
Submitted by: kidsiavd
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 05, 2023
Observation date: Jul 27, 2022
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: La Plata County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Feb 19, 2023
Observation date: Jul 24, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Sublette County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 13, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Pheasantboy77
Region: Gallatin County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 18, 2023
Observation date: Aug 17, 2022
Submitted by: CDCindy
Region: Blaine County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
Observation date: Aug 07, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 30, 2022
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