Lycaena arota
| Tailed copper | |
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| Species: | L. arota
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| Binomial name | |
| Lycaena arota | |
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Lycaena arota, the tailed copper, is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in North America from New Mexico north and west to Oregon, south to southern California and Baja California, Mexico.[2]
The average wingspan ranges from 30–35 mm. Each hindwing has a tail. The upper surface of the males is copper brown with an iridescent purple sheen. The upperside of the females has an orange and dark brown pattern. The underside of both males and females is gray, with black spots on the forewings and 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.
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
References
- ^ Lycaena at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera
- ^ Tailed Copper, Butterflies and Moths of North America
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