Frosted Elfin
Callophrys irus (Godart, [1824])
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: One short tail on the hindwing. Upperside brown; male with long oval dark spot on leading edge of forewing. Below, postmedian line of forewing is irregular; that of hindwing is faint. Hindwing with submarginal black spot above tail.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of host plant; caterpillars eat flowers and developing seedpods. Chrysalids hibernate in loose cocoons in litter beneath the plant.
Flight: One flight from March-April in the south, May-June in the north.
Caterpillar Hosts: Members of the pea family (Fabaceae) indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) and lupine (Lupinus perennis); occasionally blue false indigo (B. australis) and rattlebox (Crotalaria sagittalis).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open woods and forest edges, fields, scrub.
Range: Occurs in local colonies from Maine west across New York and southern Michigan to central Wisconsin; south along Atlantic coast and Appalachians to Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Isolated colony in eastern Texas, northwest Louisiana, and southwest Arkansas.
Conservation: Populations are often small and local. Callophrys irus hadros of east Texas is particularly limited.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Maintain habitat by controlled burns or other physical means.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 657 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 22, 2023
Submitted by: robert.emond
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 22, 2023
Observation date: Mar 05, 2023
Submitted by: Wanda Smith
Region: Texas, Tyler County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 06, 2023
Observation date: Mar 23, 2020
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 21, 2023
Observation date: May 25, 2022
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 26, 2022
Observation date: May 25, 2014
Submitted by: crx2aj3
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 28, 2022
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Allegan County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 07, 2021
Observation date: Mar 16, 2021
Submitted by: Steve Coleman
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 17, 2021
Observation date: Apr 01, 2017
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 10, 2020
Observation date: Apr 16, 2010
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 10, 2020
Observation date: May 01, 2018
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 06, 2020
Observation date: Apr 17, 2019
Submitted by: dbruce (Tom Howe)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 14, 2019
Observation date: Apr 24, 2019
Submitted by: Julius
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 12, 2019
Observation date: Apr 20, 2019
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Franklin County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 21, 2019
Observation date: Mar 12, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 20, 2018
Observation date: Apr 01, 2017
Submitted by: willstuart2001
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 05, 2018
Observation date: Mar 21, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 19, 2018
Observation date: Mar 17, 2018
Submitted by: H. Wedgeworth
Region: Texas, Sabine County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 11, 2018
Observation date: Mar 17, 2018
Submitted by: H. Wedgeworth
Region: Texas, Sabine County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 11, 2018
Observation date: Mar 18, 2018
Submitted by: H. Wedgeworth
Region: Texas, Nacogdoches County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 11, 2018
Observation date: Mar 31, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Howard County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 04, 2018
Observation date: Mar 31, 2018
Submitted by: cosmic_cat
Region: Harrison County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 01, 2018
Observation date: Mar 26, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 27, 2018
Observation date: Mar 23, 2018
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 26, 2018
Observation date: Mar 21, 2018
Submitted by: MaryAnn Friedman
Region: Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 23, 2018
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