LEPIDOPTERA 771 



The American copper, Heddes hypophlceas .■ — This is the most 

 common of our coppers in the Northeastern States and in Canada. 

 Its range extends also along the boundary between the United States 

 and Canada to the Pacific Ocean, and southward into California; 

 and in the east along the Alleghany Mountains south to Georgia. 

 The fore wings are orange-red above, spotted with black, and with a 

 blackish brown outer border; the hind wings are coppery brown, with 

 a broad orange-red band on the outer margin; this band is indented 

 by four black spots. 



The larva feeds on the common sorrel (Rumex acetosella). 



The bronze copper, Heodes ihoe. — This is larger than the preceding 

 species, the wings expanding 3 7 mm. or more. In the male the wings are 

 coppery brown above, spotted with black, and with abroad orange-red 

 band on the outer margin of the hind wings. The female differs in 

 having the fore wings orange-red above, with prominent black spots. 



This species occurs in the Middle and Western States from the 

 Connecticut Valley to Nebraska. The larva feeds on curled dock 

 (Rumex crispus). 



III. THE BLUES 



The blues can be distinguished from the other gossamer-winged 

 butterflies by the slender form of the body, and the blue color of the 

 upper surface of the wings of the males at least ; in many species the 

 upper surface of the wings of the female is much darker than that of 

 the male. Thirty-eight North American species have been described; 

 but most of these occur only in the Far West. This is a rather difficult 

 group to study owing to the fact that in several cases a single species 

 exists under two or more distinct forms, and also that the two sexes 

 of the same species may differ greatly. It often happens that two 

 individuals of the same sex but of different species resemble each other 

 more closely in the coloring of the upper surface than do the two sexes 

 of either of the species. 



The spring azure, Lyccena argtolus. — In this species the hind wings 

 are without tails, the eyes are hairy, and the lower surface of the 

 wings is pale ash-gray. This combination of characters will distin- 

 guish it from all other blues occurring in the Eastern United States. 

 But the species is not confined to this region, as it occurs in nearly all 

 parts of the United States, in a large part of Canada, and most of 

 the Old Worid. 



This butterfly exhibits polymorphism to the greatest degree of 

 any known species. In this country alone there are thirteen or more 

 named forms. Some of these are geographical races ; some are seasonal 

 forms; and some are distinct forms that exist at the same time and 

 place as the more typical form. In the Old World many other forms 

 of this species have been described. Two forms are represented in 

 Figure 960, i and 7. 



The larva feeds on the buds and flowers of various plants, es- 

 pecially those of Cornus, Cimicifuga, and Actinomeris. They- are 

 frequently attended by ants for the sake of the honey-dew which 



