Northern Crescent
Phyciodes cocyta (Cramer, 1777)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Antennal clubs of male are orange. Females are darker than males. Upperside is orange-brown with dark borders; median orange-brown areas are mostly open, with few dark markings. Underside of hindwing is orange with a tan patch surrounding the pale marginal crescent.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches (3.2 - 4.8 cm).
Life History: All day long, males patrol near the host plants for receptive females. Eggs are laid in bunches of about 40 on the underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves, and young ones live and feed communally. Third-stage caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from June-July, perhaps two broods in southern Canada.
Caterpillar Hosts: Asters, in the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of dogbane, fleabane, and white clover.
Habitat: Moist open areas in rocky places, wooded streams, marsh edges, and shale barrens.
Range: Newfoundland and northern New England west across the Great Lake states and southern Canada to British Columbia; south in the western mountains to Utah, southeast Arizona, and southern New Mexico; south in the Appalachians to Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Conservation: Some geographically restricted subspecies and unnamed populations should be monitored, managed, or preserved.
NCGR:
Management Needs: Maintain habitat integrity, host plant colonies, and nectar sources.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 1665 verified sightings
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Observation date: Jun 11, 2023
Submitted by: heathercdurham
Region: Flathead County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 14, 2023
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Observation date: Jun 11, 2023
Submitted by: CheddahCurt
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7923_1.jpg?itok=Nv8_5NkN)
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7901_4.jpg?itok=Pu4wt1DC)
Observation date: Jun 09, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 12, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7775_1.jpg?itok=63Kh0UFb)
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7792_0.jpg?itok=30JngcIf)
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_7830_3.jpg?itok=2FUIgb8M)
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dscn3899_0.jpg?itok=AjgO_9_O)
Observation date: Jun 10, 2023
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/p8131572.jpeg?itok=4f1amtvN)
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: Gary Mitchell
Region: York County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/resized_20220720_102949.jpeg?itok=ZECjsoRI)
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: frogbandit
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Apr 15, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4346_2_2.jpg?itok=9dk58oQV)
Observation date: Jul 16, 2022
Submitted by: lebmeb
Region: Alberta, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Feb 07, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_2279_pearl_crescent_phyciodes_tharos_near_red_lodge_creek_trail14.jpg?itok=RRSZgYNc)
Observation date: Aug 07, 2022
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 02, 2023
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/butterfly_northern_crescent._060622._arrowwood_nwr_nd-1.jpg?itok=vB2Upjcp)
Observation date: Jun 06, 2022
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Oct 07, 2022
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Observation date: Sep 02, 2022
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 25, 2022
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Observation date: Jul 02, 2018
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 23, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/fintry_-30-1.jpg?itok=xsOQtYiF)
Observation date: Jun 25, 2019
Submitted by: Clifford Pringle
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
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Observation date: Jun 26, 2019
Submitted by: Liz Osborn
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 16, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/dsc03534_1.jpg?itok=u3tg_hB1)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2019
Submitted by: Aat
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/1fbda1e3-f64d-4751-859d-ba1f4fd546da.jpeg?itok=CxmCdxVO)
Observation date: Sep 11, 2022
Submitted by: eroutside
Region: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 13, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/20220719_153846.jpg?itok=UMZNtKqr)
Observation date: Jul 19, 2022
Submitted by: frogbandit
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 07, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/crescent_45.jpg?itok=zXFt3vVs)
Observation date: Jun 05, 2022
Submitted by: pporonto
Region: Macomb County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 03, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_8215.jpeg?itok=gSmfVLjZ)
Observation date: Aug 24, 2022
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Lewis County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 01, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_4310_1.jpg?itok=6mbypE57)
Observation date: Aug 28, 2022
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Aug 31, 2022
![](https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/sites/default/files/styles/bamona_scale_and_crop_640px_by_640px/public/bamona_images/img_0683_5.jpg?itok=WmBSAOei)
Observation date: Aug 12, 2022
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 12, 2022
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