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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 505 - 528 of 667 verified sightings
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Harrison County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Miller County, Arkansas, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Worcester County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Nassau County, New York, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Texas, Robertson County, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Highland County, Virginia, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Sussex County, Delaware, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Kent County, Michigan, United States
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Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Sullivan County, New York, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Gregg County, Texas, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Greene County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Texas, Shelby County, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
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Region: Pulaski County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Jones County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier
Verified date: Dec 31, 2004
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