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Frosted Elfin
Frosted Elfin
Scientific Name
Scientific Name
(Callophryss irus)
(Callophryss irus)
The Frosted Elfin is a globally rare butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is often found inhabiting disturbed-dependent areas that are managed by prescribed fire (1). They are a localized butterfly whose population is steadily declining (2, 3). The Frosted Elfin ranges from the eastern United States, Maine to Florida, and from central Wisconsin to eastern Texas (4, 5).
Identification
Identification
Of all of the Elfins, the Frosted Elfin is on the larger side with a wingspan of 1 to 1 ¼ inches (5, 6, 7). On the underside, they have an irregular faint white line located on the postmedian line of the forewing dividing the wing in half. A distinctive characteristic of this species is the short tail with a black spot just above (5, 6).
Photo by Dean JueFrom the North American Butterfly Association
Life Cycle
Life Cycle
In Maryland, Frosted Elfin's have one brood and fly from late April to late May (6, 8). They can be found drinking nectar from the endangered Sundial Lupine (Lupinus perennis) and Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) (9).
Females lay their eggs singly on flower buds of host plants (5, 6, 8). Once the caterpillar hatches, it spend its time feeding until pupation. Pupation occurs in the soil or leaf litter where they overwinter (1, 6).
Photo by Dean JueFrom the North American Butterfly Association
Habitat
Habitat
In Maryland, the Frosted Elfin can be found in fields and sandy, open woods filled with Sundial Lupine (Lupinus perennis) and Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) (8, 9, 10, 11).
Distribution in Maryland
Distribution in Maryland
Data from Maryland Biodiversity Project. Includes historical records and may overrepresent the current range of the species.
Larval Host Plants:
Larval Host Plants:
References
References
- Selfridge, J. A., K. Bachran, D. McElveen, R. K. Robbins, and T. Ransom. 2019. Pupation sites and conservation of Frosted Elfins (Lycaenidae) in Maryland, USA. The Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 73(2): 87-92.
- Gene Albanese, Peter D. Victory, Paul R. Sievert. 2008. Microhabitat use by larvae and females of a rare barrens butterfly, Frosted Elfin (Callophyrys irus). J Insect Conserv 12:603-615. DOI 10. 1007/s10841-007-9097-2.
- Gene Albanese, Michael W. Nelson, Peter D. Vicktory, Paul R. Sievert. 2007. Larval feeding behavior and ant association in Frosted Elfin, Callophyrys irus (Lycaenidae). Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 61(2), 61-66.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2019. Frosted Elfin Callophrys irus. Conserving South Carolina’s At-Risk Species. https://www.fws.gov/southeast/pdf/fact-sheet/sc-frosted-elfin.pdf. Last accessed 23 July.
- Butterflies and Moths of North America. 2020. Frosted Elfin Callophrys irus (Godart, [1824]) https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Callophrys-irus. Last accessed 23 July 2020.
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. New Jersey Endangered and Threatened Species Field Guide. Frosted Elfin, Callophrys irus. http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/species/fieldguide/view/Callophrys%20irus/. Last accessed 23 July 2020.
- New Jersey Fish and Wildlife. Frosted Elfin, Callophrys irus. https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/pdf/end-thrtened/frstdelfin.pdf. Last accessed 23 July 2020.
- Davis, L. and R. Smith. 2014. Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Checklist. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Division. https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/butterfliesofmaryland_biological-summary_checklist.pdf.
- Frye, J. A. and R. K. Robbins. 2015. Is the globally rare Frosted Elfin butterfly (Lycaenidae) two genetically distinct host plants races in Maryland? DNA evidence from cast larval skins provides an answer. J. Insect Conserve. 19:607-615. DOI 10.1007/s10841-015-9783-4.
- Maryland Biodiversity Project. 2020. Frosted Elfin Callophrys irus (Godart, [1824]) https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/524. Last accessed 23 July 2020.
- Mceleveen, D., D. J., Sally Jue, and V. D. Craig. 2020. Life history observations of Callophyrys irus (family: Lycaenidae) in north Florida, USA. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 74(1): 51–56.
© 2020 Price Lab for Entomology, Courtney Rogall
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