Lycaena rubidus
ruddy copper

Lycaena rubidus is found only in the United States and Canada. It can be spotted in the region that spreads from British Colombia and east to North Dakota. It is also found in south to central California and Northern New Mexico. (Miller, 1992; Opler, 2004; Safra, 1998)

Ruddy coppers live in sandy or dry, gravelly areas such as scrub, dry fields, prairies, arid streams, and alluvial washes. (Opler, 2004; Scott, 1986)

Lycaena rubidus has a wingspan of 2.9 - 4.1 cm. The upperside of the male is bright red-orange, and the upperside of the female is a duller orange-brown to dark brown. The hindwings of both sometimes exhibit muted black spots. The undersides of both male and female are gray-white to gray-yellow. (Grzimek, 1972; Opler, 2004; Scott, 1986)

Ruddy coppers go through four main life stages on their way to becoming a butterfly: the egg, the caterpillar (larva), the chrysalis (pupa), and finally the butterfly (adult).

Ruddy coppers go through four main life stages on their way to becoming a butterfly: the egg, the caterpillar (larva), the chrysalis (pupa), and finally the butterfly (adult). In order for this process to begin, however, the butterflies must mate. These butterflies, like all butterflies, reproduce sexually. A male Lycaena rubidus waits for the females along streams and in meadows in order to mate. The female butterfly produces white eggs that she lays singly at or near the base of the host plant, which will be a ruddy copper's food source once it enters the caterpillar stage. The mother distinguishes this host plant from others by not only the odor given off by the plant, but also by testing the leaves of the plant with receptors on her feet, antenae, or the tip of her abdomen. The eggs will hibernate there until the environmental conditions are right, then a caterpillar will emerge. The caterpillar is brown with a dark-reddish mid-dorsal band that is edged by yellow. They are shaped like pill bugs with highly arched backs, a flat ventral surface, short legs, and the head hidden beneath the thorax. After the caterpillar has obtained enough nutrients to sustain it through its next stage, it is taken by red ants to a nest in which it enters in to the chrysalis stage. Lycaena rubidus is inactive during the chrysalis stage and avoids predation by using camouflage. During the last portion of the chrysalis stage, the cocoon becomes translucent and shows the colors of the butterfly. Shortly after this, the butterfly emerges from the cocoon as a full adult, ready to mate and continue the life cycle. (Holland, 1898; O'Toole, 1986; Scott, 1986)

Beyond developing and laying eggs, butterflies give no parental care.

Lycaena rubidus has one flight from mid-June through July at low latitudes and from mid-July through August for latitudes.

The caterpillar secretes a sugary fluid from many small glands in its body wall. This fluid attracts red ants, which begins a mutualistic relationship between caterpillar and ant. The caterpillar provides the red ants with sugary food and the ants protect the caterpillar from predators. They also take the caterpillar to a nest, which the ants have built, where it remains, through the pupa stage, until it becomes a butterfly in the spring. (Grzimek, 1972; Scott, 1986)

Female ruddy coppers use chemical cues to find appropriate host plants on which to oviposit.

Lycaena rubidus eats different foods while in its different life stages. As a larvae, or caterpillar, it feeds off of petals and bracts of flowers or upon delicate terminal leaves of the Dock (Rumex) species in the buckwheat family. The adult form, the butterfly, feeds off of flower nectar. (Holland, 1898; O'Toole, 1986; Opler, 2004)

These butterflies are pollinators, herbivores, and prey for predators.

Lycaena rubidus, like all butterflies, helps in the pollination process for flowering plants. Butterfly watching has also become a very enjoyable nature activity. (O'Toole, 1986)

Ruddy copper butterflies do not cause any harm to humans during the butterfly stage. However, during the larval stage they do consume the leaves of plants, which some humans may consider valuable. (O'Toole, 1986)

Lycaena rubidus is generally not threatened, however, it may be rare in the periphery of its range. (Opler, 2004)