Bug FAQLilac-bordered Copper
Tharsalea nivalis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
The lilac-bordered copper is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. Its wingspan measures about 25 to 29 mm. It lives in the western mountains of North America and the adults fly from July to mid-August.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Lycaena nivalis, called the lilac-bordered copper, belongs to the butterfly family Lycaenidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The butterfly’s wingspan ranges from 25 to 29 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found in the western mountain regions of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The caterpillars feed on the plant Polygonum douglasii.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are on the wing from July through mid-August.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The flight period for adults is July to mid-August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range is the western mountains of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 9 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I see adult lilac-bordered copper butterflies?
Adults are active from July to mid-August.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the larvae of the lilac-bordered copper eat?
The larvae feed on Polygonum douglasii.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does the lilac-bordered copper live?
It lives in the western mountains of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycaena_nivalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.