Birds of Oklahoma
Butterflies of Oklahoma

 

Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)

Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus) Bronze Copper (Lycaena hyllus)
County State Date County State Date
Canadian OK 10/2005 Canadian OK 10/2005

Wing span: 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches (3.2 - 4.8 cm).

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.

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.




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