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 193 - 216 of 1988 verified sightings
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
Observation date: Mar 04, 2020
Submitted by: StevebrownLepid
Region: Solano County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 06, 2020
Observation date: Jan 28, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 29, 2020
Observation date: May 02, 2015
Submitted by: Jonathan Batkin
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 30, 2019
Observation date: May 17, 2017
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Iosco County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 08, 2019
Observation date: May 12, 2019
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 24, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2019
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 06, 2019
Submitted by: Nancy Hamlett
Region: California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: May 25, 2019
Submitted by: Ssneed
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: Jun 29, 2019
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: May 16, 2017
Submitted by: Allen B
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Will Kerling
Verified date: Jul 05, 2019
Observation date: Jun 12, 2019
Submitted by: dsperanza
Region: Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: May 06, 2019
Submitted by: Paul C
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 16, 2019
Observation date: May 04, 2019
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 31, 2019
Observation date: Apr 27, 2019
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Trinity County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: May 17, 2019
Submitted by: XplorMor Intern...
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 21, 2019
Observation date: May 19, 2019
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 19, 2019
Observation date: May 11, 2019
Submitted by: sallyfriou
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 15, 2019
Observation date: May 15, 2009
Submitted by: Dwaine Wagoner
Region: Natrona County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: May 15, 2019
Observation date: May 09, 2019
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 13, 2019
Observation date: May 05, 2019
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 05, 2019
Observation date: May 04, 2019
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 04, 2019
Observation date: Apr 28, 2019
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 28, 2019
Observation date: Apr 13, 2019
Submitted by: RichHubie
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 14, 2019
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