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
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 121 - 144 of 2122 verified sightings
Observation date: May 27, 2019
Submitted by: John Greaves
Region: Essex County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 28, 2019
Observation date: May 20, 2019
Submitted by: BOGwalker
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: May 27, 2019
Observation date: May 23, 2019
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 23, 2019
Observation date: Apr 10, 2011
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: Bartow County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 22, 2019
Observation date: Mar 16, 2019
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 12, 2019
Observation date: May 05, 2019
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 06, 2019
Observation date: Apr 20, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 28, 2019
Observation date: Apr 20, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 28, 2019
Observation date: Apr 20, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 28, 2019
Observation date: Jun 12, 2018
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Portage County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Feb 27, 2019
Observation date: Mar 18, 2011
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Jasper County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 28, 2018
Observation date: May 24, 2018
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 25, 2018
Observation date: May 17, 2018
Submitted by: kathybrown
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 25, 2018
Observation date: May 16, 2018
Submitted by: JEANH
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 17, 2018
Observation date: May 09, 2018
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2
Verified date: May 16, 2018
Observation date: May 08, 2018
Submitted by: a-o
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2
Verified date: May 16, 2018
Observation date: Apr 21, 2015
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 16, 2018
Observation date: May 13, 2018
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Rensselaer County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 14, 2018
Observation date: Mar 27, 2018
Submitted by: pauhana
Region: Liberty County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 12, 2018
Observation date: Mar 31, 2018
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 01, 2018
Observation date: Jun 11, 2017
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Feb 10, 2018
Observation date: Jun 27, 2017
Submitted by: BOGwalker
Region: St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Nov 29, 2017
Observation date: May 11, 2014
Submitted by: crx2aj3
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Nov 03, 2017
Observation date: May 24, 2017
Submitted by: Kathy Brown
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 15, 2017
- ‹ previous
- 6 of 89
- next ›