North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Maine

Bog Copper (Lycaena epixanthe)
JPG -- species photo

Bog Copper (Lycaena epixanthe [Boisduval & LeConte])

Wing span: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).

Identification: Upperside of male brownish with purple iridescence; female dull gray-brown. Underside of both sexes white or pale tan; hindwing with very small black spots and red zigzag border on outer margin.

Life history: Males perch on low plants to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly at base of host plant; caterpillars feed on shoots and leaves. First-stage caterpillars overwinter in their eggs, often underwater.

Flight: One flight from June-September.

Caterpillar hosts: Shrubby cranberries in the heath family (Ericaceae).

Adult food: Water from raindrops and nectar from cranberry flowers.

Habitat: Acid bogs with cranberries and other Ericaceae.

Range: Maine south to New Jersey and West Virginia; west through northern Great Lake states and Ontario.

Conservation: Habitat is sensitive and subject to draining or conversion to commercial use.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: Conserve habitats of known populations.

References:

Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern  butterflies. Peterson 
    field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,  Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.

Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford  University Press, 
    Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:

Brower, A.E.  1974.  A List of the Lepidoptera of Maine - Part 1: The
     Macrolepidoptera.  Life Sciences and Agricultural Station, Univ. of Maine 
     at Orono.  Technical Bulletin No. 66.  136 pp.

Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998.  The Butterflies of 
     Canada.  University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON.  280 pp.
     
Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.
     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.      
Bog Copper (Lycaena epixanthe)
distribution map
map legend

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