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 1 - 24 of 14707 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 18, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Mar 30, 2026
Observation date: Mar 26, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Mar 30, 2026
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Mar 13, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Mar 14, 2026
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: Beehunter1
Region: Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2026
Observation date: Aug 06, 2025
Submitted by: davidboon
Region: Oakland County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Sep 08, 2025
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: D Schreck
Region: Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 15, 2026
Observation date: Apr 10, 2025
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 16, 2026
Observation date: Jan 17, 2026
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 01, 2026
Observation date: Jul 12, 2019
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: McCormick County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jan 09, 2026
Observation date: Aug 23, 2025
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Dec 16, 2025
Observation date: Aug 23, 2025
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Dec 16, 2025
Observation date: Aug 19, 2025
Submitted by: klamke
Region: Pennington County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Nov 04, 2025
Observation date: Jul 30, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Williamson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Maury County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 21, 2025
Submitted by: FunnyValentine
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: May 30, 2024
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Apr 30, 2023
Submitted by: Aurelia Arcana
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Sep 03, 2025
Submitted by: Snellzy
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 17, 2025
Submitted by: mikeandpaige
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 24, 2025
Observation date: Oct 18, 2025
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Wood County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 20, 2025
- 1 of 613
- next ›