Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies, with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly species.
Lycaena phlaeas, the small copper, American copper, or common copper, is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or gossamer-winged butterfly family. According to Guppy and Shepard (2001), its specific name phlaeas is said to be derived either from the Greek phlego, "to burn up" or from the Latin floreo, "to flourish".
The purple-edged copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Orachrysops niobe, the Brenton blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae and is endemic to South Africa.
Lycaena helle, the violet copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from the Pyrenees to northern Norway and from Belgium east across the Palearctic to Central Asia, Siberia and Amur.The wingspan is 24–26 mm. The butterfly flies from May to July depending on the location.
Lycaena dorcas is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, the gossamer-winged butterflies. Its common names include dorcas copper and cinquefoil copper. The species was first described by William Kirby in 1837. It is native to North America. The species L. dospassosi was once included in L. dorcas.
Lycaena feredayi, the glade copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to New Zealand.
Platylesches picanini, the banded hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, south-western Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, northern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The habitat consists of forests, riparian vegetation along river courses, woodland, dry forests and Guinea savanna.
Chrysoritis zonarius, the donkey daisy copper or Coetzer's daisy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, along the coast and inland from the Cape Peninsula, north-west to Paleisheuwel and Lambert's Bay and along the hills to the Western Cape.
Chrysoritis brooksi, the Brook's opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.
Chrysoritis nigricans, the dark opal, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae found only in South Africa.
Anthene definita, the common ciliate blue or common hairtail, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa.
Anthene liodes, the liodes hairtail, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found from Sierra Leone to Kenya, then to Malawi, Zimbabwe and Angola. It is also found in South Africa, where it rare and found from KwaZulu-Natal to Swaziland, Mpumalanga and the Limpopo Province. Its habitat is usually woodlands, forest-edge habitats and dense savannah.
Lycaena clarki, the eastern sorrel copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found only in South Africa.
Anthene otacilia, the Otacilia hairtail or Trimen's ciliate blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae, found in Africa.
Cupidopsis cissus, the common meadow blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in most of Africa, south of the Sahara.
Brephidium metophis, the tinktinkie blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa, including South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In South Africa, it is found from the Western Cape, north to Namaqualand, which is found both in the northern part of the Western Cape province and the Northern Cape, and east to the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the western part of the Free State province.
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.
Lycaena boldenarum, the boulder copper, is a species of butterfly which is endemic to New Zealand, it is found on both North Island and South Island in a wide variety of open habitats including grassland, shingle and sand dunes. They are normally only active in bright sunny conditions and their flight is usually low to the ground. The boldenarum part of the species name given by the Scottish entomologist Adam White in honour of his first wife, Helen and her sister Frances, whose maiden name was Bolden. It shares the Maori name pepe para riki with two congeners the common copper and the glade copper.
Lycaena rauparaha, Rauparaha's copper or mokarakare is a species of butterfly endemic to New Zealand. It acquired its English common name because it occurred in the same coastal areas as the rangatira (chief) and war leader of Ngāti Toa Maori, Te Rauparaha.
