North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Oregon

Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys [Incisalia] eryphon)
JPG -- species photo

Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys eryphon [Boisduval])

Wing span: 1 - 1 3/8 inches (2.5 - 3.5 cm).

Identification: Tailless. Wings reddish-brown; undersides of fore- and hindwing have very jagged dark submarginal bands.

Life history: Males perch on shrubs and small trees to look for females. Eggs are laid at the base of young needles; caterpillars feed on young needles and catkins. Chrysalids hibernate and adults emerge in spring.

Flight: One flight from May-June.

Caterpillar hosts: Young needles of hard pines including lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), limber pine (P. flexilis), and ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa); possibly black spruce.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Pine forests.

Range: British Columbia east to Maine; south to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:


Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern  butterflies. Peterson 

    field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,  Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.



Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford  University Press, 

    Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.



Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies.  Houghton-Mifflin Co., 

    Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:


Dornfeld, E. J. 1980. The Butterflies of Oregon. Forest Grove, 	Ore., Timber 

     Press.



Hinchliff, J. 1994. An atlas of Oregon Butterflies. Oregon State University

     Bookstore, Corvallis.



Hinchliff, J. 1994. The distribution of the butterflies of Oregon. Evergreen 

     Aurelians. Oregon State University Bookstore, Corvallis, 176 pp. + map. 



Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 

     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.



Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 

     Privately published, Denver, Colo. 



Tilden, J.W. and A.C. Smith. 1986. A Field Guide to Western Butterflies. 

     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys [Incisalia] eryphon)
distribution map
map legend

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