Purplish Copper
Common NamePurplish Copper
Scientific NameLycaena helloides
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyLycaeninae
Wingspan (mm)30
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorspurple, orange, black
HabitatWet meadows, marshes, bogs, stream banks, moist open areas
Geographic RangeWestern North America, from Alaska south to California and east to the Great Lakes region and parts of the Northeast
Host PlantsRumex spp. (dock), Polygonum spp. (knotweed), Persicaria spp. (smartweed)
Flight PeriodMay to October
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plant leaves, larvae are slug-like and feed on the leaves. Pupation occurs near the ground, and the species overwinters as an egg, producing multiple generations per year.
Identification TipsLook for the iridescent purplish sheen on the upperside, especially in males, combined with black spots and the orange submarginal band on the hindwings. The underside is typically pale with distinct black spots.
Description
A small butterfly with iridescent purplish-pink to coppery-orange wings adorned with prominent black spots. The hindwings often feature a distinct orange submarginal band.
