Purplish Copper
Lycaena helloides (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male brown with purple iridescence; female more orange. Hindwing of both sexes with broad orange band at margin.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (3 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch and sometimes patrol in low spots for females. Eggs are scattered at the base of the host plant or in litter beneath it. Eggs hibernate; caterpillars feed on leaves.
Flight: Three or four flights in lower elevation California. Two flights in many areas from May-July and from August-October. One flight at high altitude and far northern habitats from July-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Knotweeds (Polygonum) and docks (Rumex) in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), cinquefoils in the rose family (Rosaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Disturbed areas including roadsides and open fields; wet meadows, marshes, streamsides, and valleys.
Range: Great Lakes area through the northern Midwest and northern plains to British Columbia, south to Baja California. Comments: The distinction between the Purplish Copper and the Dorcas Copper is blurred in the Rocky Mountains. These populations here are considered under the Purplish Copper.
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.
Get your BAMONA Gear!
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 1234 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2022
Observation date: Jul 03, 2022
Submitted by: tjay13
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 06, 2022
Observation date: Jun 30, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Jun 22, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 26, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: May 22, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Churchill County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: Sep 10, 2020
Submitted by: Geoff Urwin
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: Jun 15, 2022
Observation date: Oct 15, 2021
Submitted by: J Tinsman
Region: Canyon County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: Jun 28, 2020
Submitted by: Samela95437
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2022
Observation date: Mar 29, 2022
Submitted by: Twitcherette
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 02, 2022
Observation date: Sep 26, 2021
Submitted by: Arley
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 01, 2022
Observation date: Aug 29, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 25, 2022
Observation date: Sep 03, 2021
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Teton County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 24, 2022
Observation date: Oct 29, 2021
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Dec 29, 2021
Observation date: Oct 24, 2021
Submitted by: butterfly rose
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 25, 2021
Observation date: Oct 04, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Lincoln County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Nov 14, 2021
Observation date: Sep 03, 2021
Submitted by: taogirl
Region: Delta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 02, 2021
Observation date: Jun 15, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Jackson County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 19, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Glenn County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 14, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 14, 2021
Observation date: Oct 05, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Oct 06, 2021
Observation date: Sep 28, 2021
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 02, 2021
Observation date: Sep 20, 2021
Submitted by: Birder2
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 23, 2021
- ‹ previous
- 5 of 52
- next ›