| Ruddy copper | |
|---|---|
| |
| Greenlee County, Arizona, 2023 | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Genus: | Lycaena |
| Species: | L. rubidus
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| Binomial name | |
| Lycaena rubidus | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Lycaena rubidus, the ruddy copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the western mountains of North America.[2] Adults lay their eggs on plants of the genus Rumex, which later become the larval food plants. This butterfly gets its name from the brightly colored wings of the males, which are important in sexual selection.[3] Its larvae exhibit mutualism with red ants, and are often raised in ant nests until they reach adulthood.[4] Adults are on wing from mid-July to early August.[2]
- ^ Lycaena at Markku Savela's website on Lepidoptera
- ^ a b Ruddy Copper, Butterflies of Canada
- ^ Bernard, G.D.; Remington, C.L. (1 April 1991). "Color vision in Lycaena butterflies: spectral tuning of receptor arrays in relation to behavioral ecology". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 88 (7): 2783–2787. Bibcode:1991PNAS...88.2783B. doi:10.1073/pnas.88.7.2783. PMC 51323. PMID 2011588.
- ^ Watt, Loren (2001). "Lycaena rubidus ruddy copper". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved October 19, 2017.