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 169 - 192 of 1987 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 04, 2021
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 06, 2021
Observation date: Mar 29, 2021
Submitted by: Roy Cohutta
Region: Murray County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Apr 02, 2021
Observation date: Mar 28, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 31, 2021
Observation date: Mar 28, 2021
Submitted by: guy_incognito
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 29, 2021
Observation date: Mar 14, 2021
Submitted by: otusasiotours
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Mar 15, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2009
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Mar 12, 2021
Observation date: Apr 14, 2013
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 20, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Albany County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 04, 2021
Observation date: May 28, 2017
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 23, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jan 10, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2019
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Dec 26, 2020
Observation date: May 17, 2020
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: May 06, 2019
Submitted by: LinCepek
Region: Surry County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 06, 2020
Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 09, 2020
Observation date: Jun 20, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2020
Observation date: Jun 05, 2020
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Jun 07, 2020
Observation date: Jun 04, 2020
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Kitsap County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 07, 2020
Observation date: Jun 02, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 03, 2020
Observation date: May 21, 2020
Submitted by: 1Carex
Region: Schoolcraft County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 01, 2020
Observation date: May 08, 2020
Submitted by: Dmader
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 12, 2020
Observation date: May 02, 2020
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 03, 2020
Observation date: Apr 26, 2020
Submitted by: pnesterenko
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Apr 29, 2020
Observation date: Apr 16, 2020
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 17, 2020
Observation date: Mar 05, 2020
Submitted by: Selwyn Quan
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 10, 2020
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