Dorcas Copper
Common NameDorcas Copper
Scientific NameLycaena dorcas
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyLycaeninae
Wingspan (mm)25
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, brown, purple, black
HabitatBogs, fens, wet meadows, and other damp areas
Geographic RangeNorth America (northern US and Canada, extending south in mountainous regions)
Host Plantsshrubby cinquefoil
Flight PeriodJuly to August
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesOverwinters as an egg; larvae feed exclusively on shrubby cinquefoil, with a single brood emerging in mid-summer.
Identification TipsDistinguished by its orange forewings with black spots and the purplish-brown hindwings with an orange border, typically found in boggy habitats where its host plant, shrubby cinquefoil, grows.
Description
A small butterfly with bright orange forewings marked with black spots, and purplish-brown hindwings often featuring an orange submarginal band.
