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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters (Lycaenidae) » Hairstreaks (Theclinae) » Eumaeini » Callophrys » Frosted Elfin - Hodges#4325 (Callophrys irus)

Species Callophrys irus - Frosted Elfin - Hodges#4325

Classification · Hodges Number · Explanation of Names · Size · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Frosted Elfin - Callophrys irus - female

Frosted Elfin ovipositing - Callophrys irus - female

Frosted or Henry's Elfin? - Callophrys irus

Elfin (frosted?) on Lupinus diffusus - Callophrys irus

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)

Family Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters)

Subfamily Theclinae (Hairstreaks)

Tribe Eumaeini

Genus Callophrys

Species irus (Frosted Elfin - Hodges#4325)

Hodges Number

4325

Explanation of Names

Callophrys irus (Godart, [1824])

Size

Wingspan 2.5-3.2 cm

Range

e US, local - Map (MPG)

Habitat

Open woods, edges, scrublands near hostplant

Season

mostly Apr-May, one flight - MPG

Food

Adults take nectar.

Life Cycle

Larvae feed on certain Fabaceae, esp. Lupines (Lupinus) and Baptisia.

Remarks

Three subspecies, arsace in southeast, irus in northeast, and hadros a dark form within AR,LA,OK,TX.

See Also

Henry's Elfin, Brown Elfin

Print References

Brock and Kaufman, pp. 104-105 (1)

Glassberg, p. 79 plate 20 (2)

Allen, p. 93, plates 9, 34, 45 (3)

Scott, species #331, p. 370 (4)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Group - MPG

Butterflies of America - BOA

Works Cited

1.	Butterflies of North America (Kaufman Focus Guides) Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Co.

2.	Butterflies Through Binoculars: The East Jeffrey Glassberg. 1999. Oxford University Press.

3.	The Butterflies of West Virginia and Their Caterpillars Thomas J. Allen. 1998. University of Pittsburgh Press.

4.	The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide James A. Scott. 1992. Stanford University Press.

Contributed by Cotinis on 2 August, 2004 - 6:44pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, Mike Quinn, Cliff Ivy
Last updated 2 July, 2017 - 7:07am

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