Invertebrates
American Copper
Lycaena phlaeas · also called American coppers
Perched on a low weed along a disturbed roadside, an American copper flashes a bright, metallic orange sheen across its wings, defending its small patch of territory against any rival male that dares to intrude, in habitat many more particular butterflies would simply avoid.
Overview
The American copper, Lycaena phlaeas, is a small, brightly coloured butterfly native to open grassland and disturbed habitat across a very broad range spanning much of North America, Europe, and Asia. Its fiery metallic orange wing colouration, territorial perching males, and tolerance for weedy, disturbed habitat make it one of the more widespread and easily encountered small butterflies across the Northern Hemisphere.
A butterfly that thrives on weeds
While many butterflies depend on specific native host plants, the American copper’s reliance on common weedy dock species lets it persist and even flourish in roadsides, vacant lots, and other disturbed ground most pickier butterfly species pass over entirely.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable grassland and disturbed habitat throughout its very broad range spanning North America, Europe, and Asia.
American Copper: common questions
Why is it called the American copper?
This species displays a bright, metallic orange upper wing surface with a fiery sheen distinctive enough to have given rise to the common name copper for this species and its relatives, a colour that catches the light noticeably when the butterfly's wings are angled toward the sun.
Why can the American copper survive in disturbed, weedy areas?
This species' caterpillar feeds on sheep sorrel and related dock plants, species widely considered common weeds found readily in disturbed habitat such as roadsides, vacant lots, and old fields, allowing the butterfly to persist and even thrive in areas many more habitat-specific species would avoid entirely.
How territorial are male American coppers?
A male of this species often selects a favoured perch on low vegetation or bare ground and actively defends the surrounding territory against rival males, darting out aggressively to chase away any intruder before returning to the same perch, a behaviour aimed at securing the best spot for encountering females.
How many generations does the American copper produce each year?
This species can produce multiple generations within a single warm season across much of its range, a reproductive pace that allows local populations to build up considerably by late summer compared with species that produce only a single generation per year.