Ruddy Copper
Common NameRuddy Copper
Scientific NameLycaena rubidus
FamilyLycaenidae
SubfamilyLycaeninae
Wingspan (mm)32
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, black, brown
HabitatDry, open areas, sagebrush steppe, mountain meadows, foothills
Geographic RangeWestern North America, from southern British Columbia and Alberta south through the western US to California, Arizona, and New Mexico, and east to the Dakotas and Colorado.
Host PlantsEriogonum spp. (wild buckwheat)
Flight PeriodJune to August
Flight Styledarting
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid singly on host plant leaves. Larvae feed on the leaves, often overwintering as eggs or young larvae, and pupate on or near the ground.
Identification TipsLook for the striking coppery-orange wings with prominent black spots and a lack of tails. The underside's duller orange-brown coloration with black spots and a faint orange submarginal band is also distinctive.
Description
A small to medium-sized butterfly characterized by its brilliant coppery-orange uppersides adorned with distinct black spots. The undersides are a duller orange-brown, also featuring black spots and a faint submarginal band.
