Tailed Copper
(Tharsalea arota – formerly Lycaena arota)
Coppers
Appearance: Hindwing of both sexes have prominent tails. Above, male copper-brown with a purplish cast; female brown and orange. Below, both sexes gray with bold markings and an orange flush in the median area of the forewing. The hindwing has an uneven white submarginal band and a black spot on the margin above the tail.
Wingspan: Small; 7/8 to 1 3/8 inches.
Habitat: Open mixed woodlands, canyons, meadows where scrub oak and sagebrush occur; foothills.
Flight Times: May through August; one brood. Eggs hibernate.
Larval Foodplant: Gooseberries and currants.
Did You Know…
This Tailed Copper can be mistaken for a hairstreak. It is said that these butterflies do not stray far (100’s of feet) and therefore, once found, should be located again in following seasons.
