Eastern Pine Elfin
Callophrys niphon Hübner, [1819]
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Tailless. Upperside dark brown; female with dark borders. Underside banded with dark brown; hindwing with submarginal gray band outside row of black crescents.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch on tops of pine trees in the sun to find receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on new needles of young trees; caterpillars feed on the needles. Chrysalids hibernate and adults emerge in the spring.
Flight: One flight from March-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various hard pines including scrub pine (Pinus virginiana) and jack pine (P. banksiana), and the soft white pine (P. strobus).
Adult Food: Nectar of many different flowers including blueberry, cinquefoil, chickweed, common milkweed, and white sweet clover.
Habitat: Areas with small to medium pines such as forest openings and edges, and old fields.
Range: Nova Scotia west to eastern Alberta; south to northern Texas, the Gulf Coast, and northern Florida.
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.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Incisalia niphon
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 97 - 120 of 2122 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 07, 2020
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Hancock County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 24, 2020
Observation date: Jun 09, 2020
Submitted by: 1Carex
Region: Alger County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 11, 2020
Observation date: Jun 04, 2020
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Franklin County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 04, 2020
Observation date: Jun 02, 2020
Submitted by: DougSelzer
Region: Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jun 02, 2020
Observation date: May 02, 2020
Submitted by: schaarschmidt
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 26, 2020
Observation date: May 24, 2020
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 25, 2020
Observation date: May 20, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 21, 2020
Observation date: May 20, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 21, 2020
Observation date: May 19, 2020
Submitted by: hank_j
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 19, 2020
Observation date: May 16, 2020
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 19, 2020
Observation date: May 14, 2020
Submitted by: MilkWeed18
Region: Cumberland County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 16, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 14, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2020
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Newaygo County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 14, 2020
Observation date: May 13, 2020
Submitted by: MSEmbeck
Region: Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 14, 2020
Observation date: Apr 25, 2020
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 11, 2020
Observation date: May 07, 2020
Submitted by: gjkoppel
Region: Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 09, 2020
Observation date: Feb 29, 2020
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Mar 02, 2020
Observation date: May 18, 2019
Submitted by: lisagorn
Region: Otsego County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jan 10, 2020
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: Jun 05, 2019
Submitted by: Heidrun
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 17, 2019
Observation date: Jun 06, 2019
Submitted by: Ssneed
Region: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 12, 2019
Observation date: Jun 06, 2019
Submitted by: Chris Blomme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 26, 2019
Observation date: Jun 08, 2019
Submitted by: opiliones
Region: Oxford County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 09, 2019
Observation date: Jun 01, 2019
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Crawford County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 02, 2019
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