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 1739 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: Elisabeth_Cassinari
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 25, 2024
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: GeraldWolfe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Montrose County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 23, 2024
Observation date: Jul 15, 2024
Submitted by: dnight30
Region: Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 21, 2024
Observation date: Jul 19, 2024
Submitted by: BeaLaporte
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 17, 2024
Submitted by: Tawnia
Region: Nova Scotia, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 15, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 11, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Clark County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2024
Observation date: Jul 06, 2024
Submitted by: drmarc60223
Region: Clark County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 10, 2024
Observation date: Jul 07, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jun 29, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jun 19, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 04, 2024
Observation date: Jun 23, 2024
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jun 13, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 02, 2024
Observation date: Jun 10, 2024
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: May 25, 2024
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 30, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Douglas County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 25, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 28, 2024
Observation date: Jun 24, 2024
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 11, 2024
Submitted by: cklindsey
Region: Garfield County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 22, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
Observation date: Jun 14, 2024
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 20, 2024
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