University of Alberta Museums Search

Scientific Name Lycaena mariposa Common Name Mariposa Copper Habitat Meadows and clearings in coniferous forest. Seasonality One yearly flight, peaking in mid July to early August. Identification The mottled grey and black underside makes this a very distinctive copper. Subspecies penroseae occurs in Alberta. Life History Unlike many of the other coppers in Alberta, Mariposa is usually not associated with wetlands. Trails and clearings in the lodgepole pine forests of the foothills are good places to look for this species. Conservation Not of concern. Diet Info

Canadian populations were originally believed to feed on members of the Polygonaceae (Polygonum douglasii and Rumex, Hooper 1973, Bird et al. 1995). Recent evidence shows that bog billberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) and…

Canadian populations were originally believed to feed on members of the Polygonaceae (Polygonum douglasii and Rumex, Hooper 1973, Bird et al. 1995). Recent evidence shows that bog billberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) and small cranberry (V. oxycoccos) are hosts in BC (Guppy & Shepard 2001). Vaccinium species will likely prove to be the hostplants in Alberta.

Read More + Range A western cordilleran species; occurs from the southern Yukon south to Central California and Wyoming. Ranges east in the boreal forest to west-central Saskatchewan (Layberry et al. 1998, Opler 1999).