Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos (Drury, 1773)
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Identification: Quite variable. Males usually have black antennal knobs. Upperside is orange with black borders; postmedian and submarginal areas are crossed by fine black marks. Underside of hindwing has a dark marginal patch containing a light-colored crescent. Spring and fall broods (form marcia) have a gray mottled hindwing below.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 inches (3.2 - 4.5 cm).
Life History: Males patrol open areas for females. Eggs are laid in small batches on underside of host plant leaves. Caterpillars eat leaves and are gregarious when young. Hibernation is by third-stage caterpillars.
Flight: Several broods; from April-November in the north, throughout the year in the Deep South and Mexico.
Caterpillar Hosts: Several species of smooth-leaved true asters including Aster pilosus, A. texanus, and A. laevis.
Adult Food: Nectar from a great variety of flowers including dogbane, swamp milkweed, shepherd's needle, asters, and winter cress.
Habitat: Open areas such as pastures, road edges, vacant lots, fields, open pine woods.
Range: Southeastern Alberta south through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and southeastern California to Mexico; east to southern Ontario and all the eastern United States.
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.
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 14736 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 26, 2017
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 04, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: May 31, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 20, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 18, 2021
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 13, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 22, 2023
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Morris County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 30, 2020
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Aug 29, 2023
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 11, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 09, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: May 20, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: May 19, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: May 07, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Apr 27, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Sep 01, 2024
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 12, 2025
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2025
Observation date: Jul 12, 2025
Submitted by: sharin
Region: Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2025
Observation date: Jul 11, 2025
Submitted by: ForesterCox
Region: Ohio County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 10, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025
Observation date: Jun 25, 2025
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: Holt County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 04, 2025
Submitted by: Puidwen
Region: Greene County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
Observation date: Jul 06, 2025
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 10, 2025
- ‹ previous
- 6 of 614
- next ›