''Lycaena dione'', the grey copper or great copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. The species was first described by

Samuel Hubbard Scudder Samuel Hubbard Scudder (April 13, 1837 – May 17, 1911) was an American entomologist and paleontologist. He was a leading figure in entomology during his lifetime and the founder of insect paleontology in America. In addition to fossil insects, ...

in 1868. It is found from the southern Prairie provinces of Canada and western Ontario south to Texas and east to Illinois and Missouri. There is a disjunct population in southern British Columbia. A remnant population was found in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, as of the summer of 2004. The wingspan is 24–38 mm. Adults are on wing from mid-June to July or August. They feed on the nectar of '' Cirsium'', '' Medicago sativa'', ''Grindelia'' species and '' Melilotus'' species. The larval host plants are ''Rumex salicifolius,'' ''

Rumex crispus ''Rumex crispus'', the curly dock, curled dock or yellow dock, is a perennial flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe and Western Asia. Description The plant produces an inflorescence or flower stalk that grows to high. I ...

'' and ''

Rumex occidentalis ''Rumex occidentalis'' is a flowering plant species belonging to the family Polygonaceae. Commonly known as western dock, ''Rumex occidentalis'' can be found in parts of Western North America. Description Western dock is considered a perennial ...

''.

Taxonomy

''Lycaena dione'' is sometimes treated as a subspecies of '' Lycaena xanthoides''.Bug Guide
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References

dione Dione may refer to: Astronomy *106 Dione, a large main belt asteroid *Dione (moon), a moon of Saturn *Helene (moon), a moon of Saturn sometimes referred to as "Dione B" Mythology *Dione (Titaness), a Titaness in Greek mythology *Dione (mythology) ...

Butterflies of North America Butterflies described in 1868 Taxa named by Samuel Hubbard Scudder {{Lycaeninae-stub