Small Copper

The species Lycaena phlaeas historically was under the genuses Lycia, Migonitis, Rumicia, Heodes and Papilio.

American Coppers are also known as little coppers and small coppers. L. phlaeas has been called American copper, flame copper, small copper, copper butterfly and short-tailed copper. L. p. feildeni hs been known as Feilden's copper, arctic copper, and tundra copper. L. p. arethusa is named Arethusa copper and American copper, and L. p. hypophlaeas has been called western American copper and American copper. Lastly, L. p. arctodon is known as beartooth copper.

Predators of all life stages of butterflies include a variety of insect parasatoids. These wasps or flies will consume the body fluids first, and then eat the internal organs, ultimately killing the butterfly. Those wasps that lay eggs inside the host body include Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, Pteromalidae, Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae, Eulophidae, Scelionidae, Trichogrammatidae, and others. Trichogrammatidae live inside the eggs, and are smaller than a pinhead. certain flies (Tachinidae, some Sarcophagida, etc.) produce large eggs and glue them onto the outside of the host. The hatching larvae then burrow into the butterfly larvae. Other flies will lays many small eggs directly on the larval hostplants, and these are ingested by the caterpillars as they feed.

Most predators of butterflies are other insects. Praying mantis, lacewings, ladybird beetles, assasin bugs, carabid beetles, spiders, ants, and wasps (Vespidae, Pompilidae, and others) prey upon the larvae. Adult butterflies are eaten by robber flies, ambush bugs, spiders, dragonflies, ants, wasps (Vespidae and Sphecidae), and tiger beetles. The sundew plant is known to catch some butterflies.

There are also many vertebrate predators including lizards, frogs, toads, birds, mice, and other rodents.

Adult American coppers are one of the smallest coppers, with the average wing length 1.3 cm in males (range 1.2-1.4 cm) and 1.5 cm in females (range 1.3-1.6 cm). They have orange forewings with black spots and a dark outer wing margin, and a grayish upper hindwing with and orange border with a row of black spots. The undersurface of the forewing is pale orange with black spots, and the hindwing a powder white with black spots and orange band.

The red larvae are slug-like in appearance, and can range in color from red to light green or yellow green. They are covered with short hairs.

The eggs are greenish white, ribbed, and turn completely white as they age.

Pupae of American Coppers are light brown with many dark colored dots.

Range wingspan: 2.4 to 3.2 cm.

Average wingspan: 2.6 cm.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

In Japan, American coppers lived up to 14 days in the wild. If they overwinter, they can live almost a year.

Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 1 (high) years.

American coppers can be found in most disturbed areas including fields, sandy prairies, powerlines, waste places and rocky places in the Rockies, and alpine fell-fields in the Sierra Mountains and arctic tundra.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; savanna or grassland ; mountains

Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural

The distribution of Lycaena phlaeas is Holarctic, covering northern and central North America, Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. L. p. americana is found from Ontario to Kansas eastward; L. p. arethusa occupies the northwest but most likely is not found in central Alaska; L. p. polaris inhabits the west Arctic and Scandanavia; and L. p. phlaeas is found in Europe, Asia, and Northern Africa. Some authors believe L. p. americana may have been introduced to North America from Scandanavia in colonial times.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic ; palearctic (Native )

Other Geographic Terms: holarctic

American copper larvae are known to feed on docks (Rumex) including sheep sorrel (R. acetosella), curly dock (R. crispus), Oxyria digyna, and in Europe Polygonum, associated with R. alpestris.

Adults eat the nectar of may species, including common buttercup (Ranunculus acris), clovers (Trifolium spp.), yarrow (Achillea millifolium), oxeye daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum), butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), blazing star (Liatris spicata), dwarf cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis), wild strawberry (Frageria virginiana), and mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum).

Plant Foods: leaves; nectar

Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore , Nectarivore )

American coppers most likely serve as minor pollinators. They also serve as a food source for a variety of predators.

Ecosystem Impact: pollinates

Butterfly watchers enjoy seeing these colorful butterflies, and as part of a larger community of butterfly species, attract ecotourist dollars.

Positive Impacts: ecotourism

There are no known adverse affects of American coppers on humans.

After the egg hatches, American copper larvae will mature in three weeks. Pupation occurs under shelter such as stones, logs, or boards. According to some authors, American coppers overwinter as a chrysalis, however Scott (1986) reports that half-grown larvae hibernate, with the diapause triggered by short photoperiod and low temperatures. Adults emerge in the springtime.

Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis ; diapause

American coppers are stable across their range and are of no conservation concern at this time.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

American coppers communicate visually, and use touch during courtship.

Communication Channels: visual ; tactile

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; chemical

Male American coppers perch on the tops of leaves and flowers in low spots, awaiting females to pass by. Alpine males will perch in nooks at the base of rocky slopes. The males differentiate the females by their wing pattern.

These butterflies mate between early spring and fall. American coppers produce a single brood in the northern parts of their range, and may have up to three broods of eggs in the south.

Breeding interval: American coppers are single brooded in the northern parts of their range, and may have up to three broods in the south.

Breeding season: Flights begin in early spring and continue into fall.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); oviparous

Butteflies do not exhibit parental care.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement

Rare

Size: 24-30 mm. The upperside of the forewing is golden red with black spots and dark border. The upperside of the hindewing is mainly dark grey with orange margin. The underside of the hindwing has a small dark spots and reddish marginal markings.

Northern Egypt. AOO = 43 km2. EOO = 94,500 km2. 5 locations. Apparent decline with only one record after 1950. Very common elsewhere, and at edge of range in Egypt

Widespread (Holarctic, with isolated populations in the high mountains of southwestern Arabia and East Africa)

Wide variety of natural and cultivated habitats; male notoriously aggressive in territorial defence.

Not Assessed ( not a resident in Egypt)

One generation per year.

11 records. Latest in 1974 (South Sinai)

Resident in Sinai (not sure)

April-August

Host-plants: Rumex (Polygonaceae).

Animal / parasitoid / endoparasitoid
larva of Pales pavida is endoparasitoid of larva of Lycaena phlaeas

The small copper is a common butterfly in the dunes. It has a preference for low growth. This butterfly often looks for open sandy places to warm itself up. The males make a territory. Caterpillars are only found on sorrel.

In the UK a widespread and abundant species in any open habitat where flowers are available.

Resident in several disjunct populations throughout North America and migratory in some parts of its range (Scott 1986). Habitats are TRANSITION TO CANADIAN ZONE WASTE PLACES; CANADIAN TO ALPINE ZONE ROCKY PLACES; ALPINE FELL FIELDS IN THE SIERRA; ARCTIC TUNDRA. Hosts plants are usually herbaceous with most known hosts from POLYGONACEAE. Eggs are laid on the host plant singly. Individuals overwinter as half-grown larvae. Subspecies Americana undergoes two flights per year, between June-Sept in northern part of their range and APR-OCT in southern part of range). Other subspecies have one flight with approximate flight times JULY1-July31 in Arctic, JULY1-AUG31 in the southern part of their range (Scott 1986).

Papillon actif, le Cuivré a un comportement territorial. Le mâle chasse vigoureusement tous les concurrents qui s'aventurent sur son territoire, de peur qu'ils ne deviennent des prétendants encombrants auprès des femelles du voisinage. On le rencontre dans toute la France. Observation en vol : Février à octobre. Nombre de générations par an : 2 ou 3. Milieux de vie : Jardins proches de prairies accueillant les plantes nourricières. Description Adulte Envergure : 25 mm. Apparence : Le dessus des ailes avant est orange vif, avec des taches noires et une bordure brune. Celle des ailes arrière est brune avec une large bande rouge orangée, très vive. Le dessous des ailes avant est semblable au dessus, avec toutefois des taches et une bordure plus claire. À l'arrière, la coloration est plus terne, gris brun ponctuée de noir, avec une fine bande orange pâle.

L'oeuf est hémisphérique, brun et alvéolé sur sa surface. La femelle dépose ses oeufs un à un sur les feuilles de la plante hôte. Chenille Taille : 15-20 mm au dernier stade. Apparence : La chenille a une forme de cloporte, les pattes étant invisibles du dessus (elle est dite « onisciforme ») ; elle est verte et finement poilue avec, en général, trois bandes roses ? une sur le dos et deux sur les flancs ? qui se rejoignent au niveau de la tête et de l'arrière. Plantes hôtes : Patiences, oseilles sauvages et cultivées. Chrysalide: Les chrysalides de Cuivré ont un aspect bombé et une couleur caramel, finement ponctuée de noir. On les trouve fixées par des ceintures de soie, sous une feuille ou à la base de la tige de la plante hôte.

Not of concern.

Single -brooded, most often encountered between mid July and mid August.

The Arctic islands south to Wyoming, with an isolated population in the Sierra Nevada of California (Opler 1999). Also widespread in eastern north America, where it may have been introduced from Fennoscandia (Layberry et al. 1998).

No other Alberta coppers have a metallic, coppery forewing and brown hindwing upperside with a broad orange border. Our subspecies (arethusa) differs substantially from the eastern North American (hypophlaeas) and European (nominate phlaeas) populations in habitat, appearance and ecology, and may be a distinct species.

Moist mountain meadows, often above tree line.

The immature stages are incompletely known. Mature larvae from the Yukon are green with a pink dorsal stripe and pink below the midline (Guppy & Shepard 2001). The egg or first instar larva overwinters (Guppy & Shepard 2001).

Larvae feed on mountain sorrel (Oxyria digyna) in the arctic (Layberry et al. 1998).

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 φλέγω (phlégo), "to burn up", or from the Latin floreo, "to flourish".