Lycaena arota
Encyclopedia
The Tailed Copper is a butterfly
of the Lycaenidae
family. It is found from New Mexico
north and west to Oregon
, south to southern California
and Baja California
.
The wingspan
is 30-35 mm. Each hindwing has a tail. The upper surface of the males is copper-brown with a iridescent purple sheen. The upperside of the females has an orange and dark brown pattern. The underside of both males and females is grey, with black spots on the forewings and a a band of white crescents on the hindwings. Adults are on wing from May to August in one generation per year. They feed on flower nectar.
The larvae feed on the leaves of Ribes
species. The species overwinters as an egg.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
family. It is found from New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
north and west to Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, south to southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 30-35 mm. Each hindwing has a tail. The upper surface of the males is copper-brown with a iridescent purple sheen. The upperside of the females has an orange and dark brown pattern. The underside of both males and females is grey, with black spots on the forewings and a a band of white crescents on the hindwings. Adults are on wing from May to August in one generation per year. They feed on flower nectar.
The larvae feed on the leaves of Ribes
Ribes
Ribes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....
species. The species overwinters as an egg.
Subspecies
- Lycaena arota arota
- Lycaena arota virginiensis Edwards, 1870 (California, Nevada, Colorado)
- Lycaena arota nubila (Comstock, 1926) (California) –Clouded Copper
- Lycaena arota schellbachi (Tilden, 1955) (Arizona) –Schellbach's Copper