Nelson's Hairstreak
Callophrys nelsoni (Boisduval, 1869)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Upperside of male is dark brown with rusty orange patches on lower outer edges of wings; female is mostly tawny with dark margins. Underside is brown with a lilac tinge; hindwing postmedian line may be reduced or it is dark and usually outlined in white.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: To seek females, males perch on host trees all day. Eggs are laid singly on tips of host plant leaves, which the caterpillars eat. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One brood from May-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), western red-cedar (Thuja plicata).
Adult Food: Flower nectar including buckbrush, pussy-paws, and composites.
Habitat: Openings in coniferous forests.
Range: Southern British Columbia and northwest Montana south through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada to the high-altitude mountains of southern California and Baja California Norte.
Conservation: Not usually of concern.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 264 verified sightings
Observation date: May 31, 2023
Submitted by: sallyfriou
Region: Lake County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: Jun 05, 2016
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 02, 2023
Observation date: Jun 14, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 14, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2021
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: May 29, 2021
Submitted by: bjones7777
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2021
Observation date: May 03, 2021
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 21, 2021
Observation date: Jul 28, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2020
Observation date: Jun 17, 2020
Submitted by: aulljon
Region: Butte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2020
Observation date: May 23, 2020
Submitted by: Jem
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 31, 2020
Observation date: May 22, 2020
Submitted by: snakecollector
Region: Douglas County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 23, 2020
Observation date: Jul 29, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Amador County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2019
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jul 05, 2019
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2019
Observation date: Jul 03, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Plumas County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2019
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sierra County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 11, 2019
Observation date: Jun 16, 2019
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 09, 2019
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 11, 2019
Observation date: Jul 14, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Scott Burgess
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 28, 2019
Observation date: Jul 05, 2014
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 01, 2019
Observation date: Jul 07, 2018
Submitted by: Team Kweeper
Region: El Dorado County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 31, 2018
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