Hoary Elfin
Callophrys polios (Cook & Watson, 1907)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: No tails. Upperside is orangish brown; underside brown. Forewing with outer margin of "frosted" white; irregular postmedian line is white. Outer half of hindwing is "frosted" light gray.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males perch on plants in sunny clearings and low spots to look for females. Eggs are laid singly on leaf buds or flower pedicels. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight from April-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) in the heath family (Ericaceae); probably trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including leatherleaf, pyxie, wild strawberry, and willow.
Habitat: Open sunny glades in barrens, rocky ridges, dunes, forest edges, adjacent to bogs.
Range: Very local distribution. Maine south to New Jersey, south in Appalachians to Virginia; west across Great Lakes states and southern prairie provinces; north to Alaska. Along Pacific Coast to northern California; south in Rocky Mountains to northern New Mexico.
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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 397 verified sightings
Observation date: May 21, 2017
Submitted by: moralea
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Nov 24, 2018
Observation date: May 29, 2018
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Keweenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: Jul 17, 2018
Observation date: May 21, 2018
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Keweenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: Jul 01, 2018
Observation date: May 27, 2018
Submitted by: A_baldini
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 27, 2018
Observation date: May 15, 2018
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Keweenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 22, 2018
Observation date: May 15, 2018
Submitted by: Jay Brasher
Region: Keweenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 22, 2018
Observation date: May 25, 2018
Submitted by: megbee
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: A_baldini
Verified date: Jun 02, 2018
Observation date: May 20, 2018
Submitted by: Chris Blomme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: May 23, 2018
Observation date: May 20, 2018
Submitted by: jvkopple2
Region: Kalkaska County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: May 20, 2018
Observation date: May 07, 2016
Submitted by: wayne13114
Region: Jefferson County, New York, United States
Verified by: wayne13114
Verified date: Jun 19, 2017
Observation date: Apr 29, 2017
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: PDeGennaro
Verified date: May 07, 2017
Observation date: May 22, 2016
Submitted by: Chris Blomme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: Jun 30, 2016
Observation date: May 14, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 14, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 14, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 06, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: May 13, 2016
Observation date: May 05, 2016
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 10, 2016
Observation date: Apr 30, 2016
Submitted by: Jarchibold
Region: Saratoga County, New York, United States
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: May 02, 2016
Observation date: Apr 30, 2016
Submitted by: Jarchibold
Region: Saratoga County, New York, United States
Verified by: layberry
Verified date: May 02, 2016
Observation date: May 07, 2014
Submitted by: PDunwiddie
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 21, 2016
Observation date: May 24, 2015
Submitted by: ritaburkeviau
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: PDeGennaro
Verified date: Apr 03, 2016
Observation date: May 24, 2015
Submitted by: alchem30
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: May 30, 2015
Observation date: May 23, 2015
Submitted by: alchem30
Region: Saskatchewan, Canada
Verified by: alchem30
Verified date: May 30, 2015
Observation date: Apr 29, 2015
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 05, 2015
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