Lycaena cupreus
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Lycaena cuprea, the lustrous copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the western mountains of North America. The wingspan is 23–30 mm. Adults are on wing from mid-June to July or August. They feed on the nectar of Cirsium, Medicago sativa and Melilotus species.
The larvae feed on Oxyria digyna and Rumex species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Lustrous Copper sighting in Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 111 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 10th most-seen of the 227 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lustrous Copper in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months. That is one of Yosemite National Park's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain against 220 mm in January.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lustrous Copper sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Lustrous Copper sightings, Yosemite National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 10%) and Glacier National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Lustrous Copper that you can see in Yosemite National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Spring Azure (about 20%), Greenish Blue (about 20%) and Shasta Blue (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lustrous Copper is recorded against all the insects logged in Yosemite National Park (111 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
