Lycaeno

Apparently Secure These butterflies live in North America, from Maine south to New Jersey and West Virginia; west through northern Great Lake states and Ontario. Males perch on low plants to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly at base of shrubby cranberries, which are the host plant; caterpillars feed on shoots and leaves. First-stage caterpillars overwinter in their eggs, often underwater. In terms of conservation, this species is apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Their habitat is sensitive and subject to draining or conversion to commercial use, so it will be important to conserve habitats of known populations, but it is also important to focus on protecting the butterfly directly, not simply on conserving likely habitat.

Fun Fact: Bog Copper is thought to be a relict of the glacial era, and has probably been with us since the Pleistocene, at least 12,000 years ago.