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.
BAMONA Shop
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 14638 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 09, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Clermont County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 09, 2025
Observation date: Jun 17, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 09, 2025
Observation date: Aug 03, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 04, 2025
Observation date: Aug 01, 2025
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 11, 2025
Submitted by: mywingedphotos
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 19, 2025
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 21, 2025
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 03, 2025
Observation date: Jul 11, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Sioux County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 11, 2025
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Aug 01, 2025
Observation date: Jul 26, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 30, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Goshen County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 27, 2025
Observation date: Jul 25, 2025
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 26, 2025
Observation date: May 26, 2025
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Liberty County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jul 20, 2025
Observation date: Jul 18, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 19, 2025
Observation date: Jul 17, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 17, 2025
Observation date: Jul 15, 2025
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 16, 2025
Observation date: Apr 26, 2017
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
- 1 of 610
- next ›