Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus (Westwood, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: No tails. Upperside of male gray-brown; female reddish brown. Underside chestnut brown with dark, irregular postmedian line; hindwing darker at base.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males perch on shrubs in open areas to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of host plants; caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits. Pupation takes place in litter at the base of the host plant; chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight from May-July in the north, March-April in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: In the East, members of the heath family (Ericaceae), including sugar huckleberry (Vaccinium vacillans) and Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum). In the west, many other plants including madrone (Arbutus) and dodder (Cuscuta).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including blueberry, footsteps-of-spring, spicebush, willow, winter cress, and wild plum.
Habitat: Mixed conifer woods, barrens, bogs, sandy coasts, chaparral.
Range: Newfoundland north and west through northern United States and the prairie provinces to Alaska; south in Appalachians to northern Georgia and northern Alabama; south through western mountains to northern Baja California. Does not occur on the plains or in the Midwest.
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.
Alternate Scientific Names:
Callophrys augustus
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 121 - 144 of 1984 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 27, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 28, 2022
Observation date: Apr 22, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 27, 2022
Observation date: Apr 20, 2022
Submitted by: zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 22, 2022
Observation date: Apr 07, 2022
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 07, 2022
Observation date: Mar 30, 2013
Submitted by: yhelfman
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 30, 2022
Observation date: Mar 23, 2022
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 27, 2022
Observation date: Mar 18, 2022
Submitted by: docentgal
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 19, 2022
Observation date: May 27, 2020
Submitted by: ovenbirder@gmail.com
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 27, 2022
Observation date: Feb 11, 2022
Submitted by: icosahedron
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 23, 2022
Observation date: May 17, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Nov 19, 2021
Observation date: Jun 14, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 14, 2021
Observation date: Apr 01, 2019
Submitted by: Rob Wu
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Sep 09, 2021
Observation date: Apr 26, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 31, 2021
Observation date: Apr 28, 2019
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 31, 2021
Observation date: May 27, 2017
Submitted by: bshettler
Region: Manitoba, Canada
Verified by: chalicerae
Verified date: Jul 26, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: Artemisia
Region: Jefferson County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Riverside County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021
Observation date: May 25, 2021
Submitted by: joeschelling
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: May 20, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021
Observation date: May 17, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 19, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 16, 2021
Observation date: May 13, 2021
Submitted by: Chris Blomme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 14, 2021
Observation date: May 02, 2012
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Ulster County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 07, 2021
Observation date: May 02, 2021
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Ulster County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 07, 2021
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