# Mariposa Copper (*Tharsalea mariposa*) The Mariposa Copper is a beautiful butterfly with bright orange and black wings. It flutters around flowers and loves sunny spots, making it a delightful sight in nature. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Meadows ![Mariposa Copper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lycaena_mariposa.jpeg&width=800) Photo: Dianne Fristrom, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lycaena_mariposa.jpeg) ## Appearance The Mariposa Copper is a small butterfly with brilliant, iridescent coppery-orange upperwings, often marked with dark spots. Its hindwings can be dusky with a subtle dark band, while the undersides are typically duller gray or tan for camouflage, helping it blend into its environment. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Lepidoptera - **Family:** Lycaenidae - **Genus:** Tharsalea ## Interesting facts - Baby Mariposa Coppers look like tiny green slugs, not fuzzy caterpillars, as they munch on leaves. - Its shiny wings often flash brilliant copper, making it look like a flying penny in the sun! - These butterflies sometimes gather in damp spots to drink important minerals from the soil, a behavior called 'puddling.' - Unlike many butterflies, male Mariposa Coppers are very territorial and will chase other insects out of their space! ## Special abilities - **Nectar Straw:** Mariposa Copper can drink sweet flower nectar using a long, straw-like mouthpart (proboscis), reaching deep into blossoms for energy. - **Disappearing Act:** Mariposa Copper has duller underside wings that blend perfectly with dried leaves and bark when resting, helping them hide. - **Solar Powered Flight:** Mariposa Copper has dark body parts that absorb sunlight, helping them warm up quickly for flight on cool mountain mornings. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-35 mm - **Size:** 10-15 mm - **Lifespan:** 15-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip flower nectar for energy; caterpillars munch on specific plant leaves to grow. - **Age differences:** Larvae eat the leaves of cinquefoil plants; adults drink nectar from various flowering plants. - **Primary Foods:** Flower Nectar, Cinquefoil Leaves (Potentilla spp.) - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Depends on:** Slender Cinquefoil (*Potentilla gracilis*) — Its larvae feed exclusively on the leaves of this host plant. - **Pollinates:** [Canada Goldenrod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-goldenrod) (*Solidago canadensis*) — Adult butterflies visit its flowers, drinking nectar and transferring pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Steller's Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/stellers-jay) (*Cyanocitta stelleri*) — Birds like this one are generalist predators of adult butterflies. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch butterflies from a distance and don't try to catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mariposa Copper? Compare the wing outline, spots, bands, eyespots and wing edges. The underside can look completely different from the top. Check for tails, the antennae and where the markings sit instead of relying on color alone. Butterfly Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Mariposa Copper's wingspan? 25-35 mm ### How big is Mariposa Copper? 10-15 mm ### How long does Mariposa Copper live? 15-30 days ### How fast can Mariposa Copper fly? 10 km/h ### What does Mariposa Copper eat? Adults sip flower nectar for energy; caterpillars munch on specific plant leaves to grow. ### Where is Mariposa Copper usually found? Meadows ### How does Mariposa Copper hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Darke Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/darke-lake-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/akamina-kishinena-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/myra-bellevue-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kokanee-glacier-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Mariposa Copper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mariposa-copper) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Mariposa Copper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mariposa-copper)