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Thursday, June 9, 2022

Blue and copper

 
 

About a week ago we were walking back from field work and noticed a few brilliant Blue Coppers (Lycaena heteronea) nectaring on buckwheat flowers (Eriogonum sp.).  

Males are bright blue above:

 
 
And much paler below:
 
 
 
Although there's a hint of blue, females are copper colored above:
 
 
 
And here's one more, up close, thanks to Eric's slow and patient approach with a point-and-shoot camera!
 
 
 Photographed near Fort Ross on 1 June 2022.

4 comments:

Alice Chan said...

Yay!! These are one of my favorite butterflies!

Anonymous said...

So cool!

John W. Wall said...

Having just failed miserably to photograph these little creatures with my new point-and-shoot, I am in awe of Eric's skills!

Jackie Sones said...

It helps that Eric also has really long arms = a long reach!

:) Jackie