Summary ⁷

The Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus) is butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in from Newfoundland north and west through the northern United States and the prairie provinces to Alaska. To the south it ranges in Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and northern Alabama, further south through the western mountains to northern Baja California. Subspecies iroides is known as the Western Elfin.

General description ⁸

There are two other elfin species with only a single, irregular line through the middle of the hindwing underside, the Hoary (C. polia), and Moss's (C. mossii). The Brown Elfin, however, has a reddish outer half of the hindwing underside, while the Hoary is grey and Moss's is brown in this respect. Brown Elfins also lack the white border to the ventral hindwing median line found in Moss's. Most Alberta populations are the nominate subspecies, with subspecies iroides (Boisduval) inhabiting the southern mountain region. Iroides may in fact be a species separate from augustinus (Kondla 1999, Guppy & Shepard 2001). 

Distribution ⁹

A boreal transcontinental species, found from Alaska to Newfoundland and south to Georgia in the east and northern Mexico in the mountainous regions of the west(Layberry et al. 1998, Opler 1999). Absent from most of the Great Plains (Opler 1999).

Habitat ¹⁰

A species of coniferous forest openings, with isolated prairie badlands populations.

Migration ¹¹

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Conservation status ¹²

Not of concern.

Threats ¹³

Degree of Threat: D : Unthreatened throughout its range, communities may be threatened in minor portions of the range or degree of variation falls within natural variation

Taxonomy ¹⁴

Comments: Previously placed by many authors in genus Incisalia. Referred to by some authors as I. augustinus, by others as I. augusta. By some interpretations the name augusta is preoccupied.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/8086030@N03/5083732491
2. (c) K Schneider, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4043/4654783606_334ed1e3c9_o.jpg
3. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Theclinae/eumaeini/callophrys_a_augustinus/Callophrys_a_augustinus_Trout_Lake_Chippewa_Co_MI_USA__24-V-06.jpg
4. (c) Jeffrey Pippen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Theclinae/eumaeini/callophrys_augustinus_croesioides/Callophrys_augustinus_croesioides_Weymouth_Woods_SP_Moore_Co_NC_USA_14-III-07_6.jpg
5. (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Theclinae/eumaeini/callophrys_a_augustinus/Callophrys_a_augustinus_Hulbert_Chippewa_Co_MI_USA_23-V-06.jpg
6. (c) Jeffrey Pippen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://butterfliesofamerica.com/images/Theclinae/eumaeini/callophrys_augustinus_croesioides/Callophrys_augustinus_croesioides_Weymouth_Woods_SP_Moore_Co_NC_USA_14-III-07_3.jpg
7. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callophrys_augustinus
8. (c) University of Alberta Museums, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/31885635
9. (c) University of Alberta Museums, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/31885634
10. (c) University of Alberta Museums, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/31885636
11. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28746099
12. (c) University of Alberta Museums, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/31885632
13. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28746093
14. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28746088

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Butterflies and Moths of North America
• CalPhotos
• CUIC Insect Images
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• Maryland Moths
• Mass Moths
• Moth Photographers Group
• Moths of North Carolina
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• Pacific Northwest Moths

Range Map

(c) Discover Life and original sources, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)

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