Mountain-butterfly
Guides
Lycaena cupreus
Lustrous Copper
Lycaena cupreus, commonly known as the Lustrous Copper, is a butterfly species in the family Lycaenidae native to the western mountains of North America. The species was first described by Edwards in 1870 under the basionym Chrysophanus cupreus. It belongs to a genus of copper butterflies that are frequently used as indicators of environmental change and habitat quality. The Lustrous Copper is part of the diverse Lycaena genus, which includes species showing varying population trends in response to climate change and land use pressures.