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Purplish Copper - Hodges#4262 (Lycaena helloides)
Photo#605505
Copyright © 2012
Pamela Willis
Lycaena dorcas? -
Lycaena helloides
Adams Township, Adams County, Wisconsin, USA
September 27, 2011
Size: about 1 to 1 1/2 inches
Was in the same area with L. phaes feeding on aster.
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Contributed by
Pamela Willis
on 4 January, 2012 - 3:23pm
Last updated 5 January, 2012 - 12:07pm
I think it is L. helloides, but I may get corrected.
The two are awfully similar, but this just "looks" like
L. helloides
to me. Also, this is a bit south for
L. dorcas
I suspect (but I could be wrong). What plants they are associated with is often very helpful in telling them apart.
L. dorcas
feeds primarily on Shrubby cinquefoil -
Dasiphora fruticosa
(also called
Potentilla fruticosa
or
floribunda
), and it rarely strays far from it. I'm pretty sure it feeds on other related species in genus
Potentilla
too, since I've seen it associated with them too. It seems to love the nectar of its host plants best, and is most often seen perching or sitting on these plants and their flowers.
L. helloides
probably only feeds on Knotweeds (
Polygonum
), Docks
Rumex
, and a few related species, and while it stays close to these plants it seems to nectar more freely on other plants too. Generally
L. helloides
is from warmer places with longer summers, and that may affect it's habitat preferences too (more "southern" type habitats), while at it's southern limits I expect
L. dorcas
likes the habitats more like the north (cool acidic boggy places?). I don't know how much help that is.
Moved from
ID Request
.
…
David J. Ferguson
, 5 January, 2012 - 12:04pm
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This butterfly was near my ho
This butterfly was near my home in Adams (central) Wisconsin in the "Driftless" area characterized by very sandy soil, Oak/Conifer forest, some agriculture including cranberry bogs. (There's a bog less than a mile from me). A largish creek with extensive "bottoms" runs through and supplies the cranberry bog. This guy was on Aster puniceus ("Purple Stemmed Aster") that was along the roadside. Also in area, blooming at this time, lots of Common Mullen, Aster ericoides, and Helianthus sp. Earlier in the season there are many natives incl. lots of Milkweed, Joe Pye, Bergamot, Lead Plant, Vervain and Monarda punctata. Also in same area at same time: MANY Colias interior and some Lycaena phlaes. Hope this helps.
…
Pamela Willis
, 5 January, 2012 - 1:12pm
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