Tailed Copper Butterfly, Lycaena (Tharsalea) arota

Plants used by the Tailed Copper Butterfly

The adult Tailed Copper likes the nectar of buckwheats. Buckwheats are very popular wit many butterfly species and are excellent no-water-natives

The Tailed Copper has a distinctive orange horseshoe pattern on the top of the fore wing on the female. The butterfly resembles a Hairstreak when its wings are closed.

The Subspecies Nubila is very rare in the Los Angeles area.

The Tailed Copper Butterfly is found in Chaparral as well as California Sage brush and Oak Woodland plant communities.

Host plants used by the Tailed Copper Larva

The Tailed copper Butterfly larva feeds in the garden on Ribes species, Currents and Gooseberries. It especially likes Ribes aureum gracillimum

This is a thicket forming current that has glossy green leaves and tasty black berries. It also has very showy clusters of yellow flowers that are enjoyed by the hummingbirds and can fill the back end of your garden.