Lycaena hyllus

Last updated

Bronze copper
Bronze Copper, Petrie Island.jpg
Petrie Island, Ottawa
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Lycaena
Species:
L. hyllus
Binomial name
Lycaena hyllus
(Cramer, [1775])
Synonyms
  • Papilio hyllus
  • Hylloycaena hyllus
  • Lycaena thoe
  • Chrysophanus thoe

Lycaena hyllus, the bronze copper, is a butterfly of the lycaenids family found in North America. [2] [3]

Contents

Description

The upperside has a brown background with golden zig-zag borders along the margins of the hindwings. Females have lighter areas in the forewings with several dark spots within the lighter areas. The undersides are primarily white with dark spots and underlying orange areas. The wingspan is 23 to 38 mm. [3]

Range

It is widespread from Alberta to northern Nevada in the west through to the east coasts of Canada and the United States. [2] This butterfly's range is similar to that of the Lycaena heteronea , especially in Alberta. It is listed as a species of special concern in the US state of Connecticut. [4]

Host plants

Their hosts are plants of the family Polygonaceae, [5] especially Water dock and curled dock. [2]

Adult plants

Adults have been observed feeding from blackberry and red clover. [5]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Chlosyne nycteis</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Lycaena dorcas</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Lycaena epixanthe</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Callophrys henrici</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Celastrina neglecta</i> Species of butterfly

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The upper surface is pale blue with an extensive dusting of white scales, especially on the hindwing. In some females the blue is almost entirely replaced by white with a small amount of blue near the wing bases. Females have a broad blackish-grey band on the outer third and costa of the forewing. The underside is chalky white to pale grey with tiny dark grey spots and a zigzagged submarginal line on the hindwing.

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<i>Erynnis horatius</i> Species of butterfly

Erynnis horatius, commonly known as Horace's duskywing, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the United States from Massachusetts to Florida, and west to eastern South Dakota, the Gulf Coast, south-eastern Utah, Colorado, north-eastern Arizona, and New Mexico. It is listed as a species of special concern in the US state of Connecticut.

<i>Speyeria coronis</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Lycaena rubidus</i> Species of butterfly

Lycaena rubidus, the ruddy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the western mountains of North America. Adults lay their eggs on plants of the genus Rumex, which later become the larval food plants. This butterfly gets its name from the brightly colored wings of the males, which are important in sexual selection. Its larvae exhibit mutualism with red ants, and are often raised in ant nests until they reach adulthood. Adults are on wing from mid-July to early August.

<i>Lycaena heteronea</i> Species of butterfly

The blue copper, also known as Lycaena heteronea, is an American butterfly that belongs to the gossamer-winged family. The butterfly is named so because of the bright blue hue of the upper side of the males' wings. Females are brown on their upper side. Both sexes are white with black spots on the underside of the wings. Blue coppers are seen on the west coast of the United States and the southwest region of Canada, particularly British Columbia and Alberta. The males are often confused with Boisduval’s blue, another species of butterfly. Blue coppers prefer to live in areas where species of Eriogonum are found. Blue copper larvae sometimes form mutualistic associations with Formica francoeuri, an ant species.

References

  1. "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  2. 1 2 3 Jim P. Brock and K. Kaufman. Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America, New York, NY:Houghton Mifflin, 2003.
  3. 1 2 Lycaena hyllus, Butterflies of Canada
  4. "Connecticut's Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species 2015". State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Bureau of Natural Resources. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  5. 1 2 "Bronze Copper Lycaena hyllus (Cramer, 1775) | Butterflies and Moths of North America".