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 337 - 360 of 667 verified sightings
Observation date: May 30, 2011
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Whelan)
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 06, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Steve Moore + Barbara Volke)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 11, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Madeline Champagne)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 01, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Gail Howe)
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 15, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Madeline Champagne)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 20, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sharon Stichter #)
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 08, 2009
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bob Bowker)
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 08, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Madeline Champagne)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 04, 2010
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Madeline Champagne)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Apr 23, 2011
Submitted by: Gary L. Spicer
Region: Texas, Lamar County, United States
Verified by: kmortensen
Verified date: Aug 23, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (George O. Krizek)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Aug 11, 2011
Observation date: Apr 01, 2011
Submitted by: rseidler
Region: Winn Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: lorispencer
Verified date: Jul 06, 2011
Observation date: Apr 01, 2011
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Grant Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: lorispencer
Verified date: Jul 06, 2011
Observation date: May 20, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Moran, Michael)
Region: Muskegon County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: Ranger Steve Mueller (Steven J. Mueller)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 13, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL,Pippen)
Region: Franklin County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jan 01, 1992
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Maier)
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Gall, L.; Wagner, D.; O'Donnell, J.)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 17, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Emmitt)
Region: Pender County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jan 01, 1993
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Wagner)
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Gall, L.; Wagner, D.; O'Donnell, J.)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 20, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S. Hartley)
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 27, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Fengler, J.)
Region: Windham County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Gall, L.; Wagner, D.; O'Donnell, J.)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Polk County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 18, 1980
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (TEH)
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Anderson)
Region: Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Apr 12, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Scotland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
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