Brown Elfin (Butterflies of Alabama)

Brown Elfin

Callophrys augustinus

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.

North american ecology (us and canada) ⁸

Callophrys augustinus is resident across Northern North America, southward along the eastern and western United States; the southwestern distribution is patchy and extends into Mexico (Scott 1986). Habitats are upper transition to Hudsonian zone open woods, scrub or bogs; in southwest and in California upper Sonoran to transition zone chaparral or open woods. Host plants are can be tree, vine, shrub and herb species from many families, including Ericaceae, Rhamnaceae, Cuscutaceae, Polygonaceae, Hydrophyllaceae, Rosacea, Liliaceae. Eggs are laid on the host plant flower singly. Larvae eat flowers and fruits and leaves if starving. Individuals overwinter as pupae. There is one flight each year with the approximate flight time May 30-early June in the northern and high altitude parts of the range, late Mar-Apr15 in Georgia, April1-May30 in the southwest (Scott 1986).