American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas (Linnaeus, 1761)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Lycaeninae
Identification: Upper surface of forewing shiny, fiery orange-red with black spots; hindwing gray with orange-red outer margin. Underside gray; hindwing with submarginal row of orange-red zigzags.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch on grass or weeds to look for females. Eggs are laid singly on host plant stems or leaves. Young caterpillars chew holes in the underside of leaves; older ones make channels in the leaf tissue. Chrysalids overwinter.
Flight: One flight from July-September for alpine and arctic populations. Two flights in the north from June-July and August-September; three flights in the south from April-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Herbs of the buckwheat (Polygonaceae) family including sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella), curled dock (Rumex crispus), and Oxyria digyna.
Adult Food: Nectar from many flowers including common buttercup, white clover, butterflyweed, yarrow, ox-eye daisy, and various composites.
Habitat: In disturbed places in the East including pastures, landfills, vacant lots, road edges, old fields; rocky places in alpine habitats, and tundra in the arctic.
Range: Nova Scotia south to Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas; west across Great Lake states to North Dakota. Native populations found in the Arctic and the western mountains. Comments: Eastern and midwest populations probably result from an introduction from Scandinavia during the colonial period.
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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 6474 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 01, 2021
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Sep 07, 2021
Observation date: Aug 26, 2021
Submitted by: Ty-Sharrow
Region: Emmet County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 03, 2021
Observation date: Jul 18, 2016
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 15, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: SarahJoSaunders
Region: Alcona County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 10, 2021
Observation date: Aug 05, 2021
Submitted by: Ssneed
Region: Otsego County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 07, 2021
Observation date: Jun 03, 2021
Submitted by: safechrisLaurie
Region: Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Aug 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 24, 2021
Submitted by: opiliones
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 25, 2021
Observation date: Jul 19, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 24, 2021
Observation date: Jul 21, 2021
Submitted by: Dallasyork97
Region: Georgia, Walker County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 22, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 30, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: opiliones
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: May 21, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Leelanau County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 22, 2021
Observation date: May 13, 2021
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 17, 2021
Observation date: May 14, 2021
Submitted by: Boocam2013
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 15, 2021
Observation date: Jul 23, 2020
Submitted by: John Daugherty
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Mar 02, 2021
Observation date: Aug 04, 2020
Submitted by: amparrish15
Region: Dane County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2021
Observation date: Aug 29, 2011
Submitted by: wade wander
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Jack Connor
Verified date: Feb 17, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 1989
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 15, 2021
Observation date: May 22, 2018
Submitted by: bkruse1950
Region: Mason County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
Observation date: May 22, 2018
Submitted by: bkruse1950
Region: Mason County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Feb 06, 2021
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