Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos (Drury, 1773)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Quite variable. Males usually have black antennal knobs. Upperside is orange with black borders; postmedian and submarginal areas are crossed by fine black marks. Underside of hindwing has a dark marginal patch containing a light-colored crescent. Spring and fall broods (form marcia) have a gray mottled hindwing below.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid in small batches on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and are gregarious when young. Hibernation is by third-stage caterpillars.
Flight: Several broods; from April-November in the north, throughout the year in the Deep South and Mexico.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several species of smooth-leaved true asters including Aster pilosus, A. texanus, and A. laevis.
Adult Food: Nectar from a great variety of flowers including dogbane, swamp milkweed, shepherd's needle, asters, and winter cress.
Habitat: Open areas such as pastures, road edges, vacant lots, fields, open pine woods.
Range: Southeastern Alberta south through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and southeastern California to Mexico; east to southern Ontario and all the eastern United States.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 14693 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 19, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 04, 2025
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Williamson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Maury County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 21, 2025
Submitted by: FunnyValentine
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: May 30, 2024
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Apr 30, 2023
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 03, 2025
Submitted by: Snellzy
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 17, 2025
Submitted by: mikeandpaige
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 18, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 20, 2025
Observation date: Oct 03, 2025
Submitted by: David Allio
Region: Fountain County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 19, 2025
Observation date: Oct 03, 2025
Submitted by: David Allio
Region: Fountain County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 19, 2025
Observation date: Sep 12, 2024
Submitted by: RStankiewicz
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Oct 18, 2025
Observation date: Sep 27, 2025
Submitted by: Xroyalnavy
Region: Wake County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 12, 2025
Observation date: Oct 08, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Oct 11, 2025
Observation date: Oct 08, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 08, 2025
Observation date: Aug 12, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Sioux County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 30, 2025
Observation date: Sep 26, 2025
Submitted by: AzarNick
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Sep 27, 2025
Observation date: Sep 11, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 26, 2025
Observation date: Sep 16, 2025
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 25, 2025
Observation date: Sep 18, 2025
Submitted by: Janet Ruth
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 25, 2025
Observation date: Sep 12, 2025
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 22, 2025
Observation date: Sep 13, 2025
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 15, 2025
Observation date: Aug 13, 2025
Submitted by: HansPG
Region: Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 13, 2025
- 1 of 613
- next ›