Bronze Copper
Lycaena hyllus (Cramer, 1775)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upperside of male iridescent copper-brown; female forewing yellow-orange with black spots. Underside forewing of both sexes orange with black spots; underside hindwing is gray-white with black spots and a broad orange outer margin.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches (3.2 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch on low growth near host plants to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on plants. Eggs hibernate until spring; caterpillars eat leaves.
Flight: Two in the north and west, from June-September; three in southern part of range, from May-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Herbs of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) including curly dock (Rumex crispus).
Adult Food: Adults visit flowers only occasionally, but have been seen taking nectar at blackberry and red clover.
Habitat: Low, wet areas such as bogs, marshes, wet meadows, ponds.
Range: Maine west across southern Canada and the Great Lake states to eastern Montana and central Colorado; south to Arkansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Maryland.
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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Hyllolycaena hyllus
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 1632 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 14, 2020
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 18, 2020
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Sep 12, 2018
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 26, 2021
Observation date: Sep 11, 2017
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 11, 2021
Observation date: Aug 27, 2019
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 12, 2017
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 17, 2020
Observation date: Sep 08, 2016
Submitted by: B Manning
Region: Polk County, Iowa, United States
Verified by: Eric Wood
Verified date: Dec 16, 2020
Observation date: Jun 28, 2010
Submitted by: lisagorn
Region: Otsego County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Dec 02, 2020
Observation date: Oct 23, 2020
Submitted by: Michelle Sharp
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Oct 28, 2020
Observation date: Oct 05, 2020
Submitted by: Ohio97
Region: Butler County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 06, 2020
Observation date: Jun 21, 2020
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Aug 12, 2020
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2011
Submitted by: cjbruchman
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Aug 16, 2011
Submitted by: cjbruchman
Region: Sauk County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Sep 29, 2020
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Sep 25, 2020
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Sep 29, 2020
Submitted by: beastbreath
Region: Saginaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Oct 04, 2020
Observation date: Oct 03, 2020
Submitted by: crandal
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 03, 2020
Observation date: Sep 03, 2020
Submitted by: pkondrashov
Region: Chariton County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 07, 2020
Observation date: Aug 20, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 21, 2020
Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: barthsm
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 16, 2020
Observation date: Aug 12, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 14, 2020
Observation date: Jul 17, 2020
Submitted by: kcearlock
Region: Christian County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 17, 2020
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Tioga County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 05, 2020
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