The American Copper is a small butterfly with striking orange and brown wings. The upperside of the forewings is bright orange with black spots and dark borders, while the hindwings are gray-brown with an orange outer band marked by a row of black spots. Females are similar but typically larger, with more prominent forewing spots. The underside is light gray, featuring small black spots and a red-orange line near the edge of the hindwings.

 

“American Copper Butterfly” by David Marvin, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

American Copper Facts

Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Lycaeninae

Butterfly Wingspan: 7/8 – 1 3/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: disturbed places in the East including pastures, landfills, vacant lots, road edges, old fields, rocky places in alpine habitats, and tundra in the arctic.

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• Curly Dock (Rumex crispus)

• Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) – non-native

• Sorrel (Rumex spp.)

• Sour Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult American Copper butterflies feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)

• Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)