Species Details
Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum Read more about this collection »
Common NameEastern Pine Elfin
SeasonalityThe single yearly brood flies in May and June, peaking in late May.
IdentificationThe Western Pine (C. eryphon) is the only other elfin with a 'busy' hindwing underside, with more than just the single median band found in other elfins. The Eastern has a more irregular, white-edged median band on the hindwing underside, and the outer edges of the submarginal arrow-shaped marks do not reach the wing edge as they do in eryphon.
Our populations are most similar to subspecies clarki Freeman (Bird et al. 1998).
Scientific Name
Callophrys niphon
Common Name
Eastern Pine Elfin
Habitat
Open jack pine (Pinus banksiana) woodlands.
Seasonality
The single yearly brood flies in May and June, peaking in late May.
Identification
The Western Pine (C. eryphon) is the only other elfin with a 'busy' hindwing underside, with more than just the single median band found in other elfins. The Eastern has a more irregular, white-edged median band on…
The Western Pine (C. eryphon) is the only other elfin with a 'busy' hindwing underside, with more than just the single median band found in other elfins. The Eastern has a more irregular, white-edged median band on the hindwing underside, and the outer edges of the submarginal arrow-shaped marks do not reach the wing edge as they do in eryphon.
Our populations are most similar to subspecies clarki Freeman (Bird et al. 1998).
Life History
The larva is pale green with a dorsal white stripe and a dorsal white patch near the head and the dark brown pupae overwinter (Bird et al. 1995). Adults, particularly females spend a considerable amount of time…
The larva is pale green with a dorsal white stripe and a dorsal white patch near the head and the dark brown pupae overwinter (Bird et al. 1995). Adults, particularly females spend a considerable amount of time perching on branches of young pine trees, and one way to search for Eastern Pine Elfins is to tap the young trees and watch for elfins to fly out (Bird et al. 1995).
Conservation
Not of concern.
Diet Info
In Alberta, the Eastern Pine Elfin is associated with jack pine, the presumed larval host plant (Bird et al. 1995). Adults take nectar at flowers (Layberry et al. 1998).
Range
Primarily an eastern-boreal species, at the western edge of its range in northern Alberta and northeastern BC (Layberry et al. 1998, Guppy & Shepard 2001).
Citation
Page Citation for Callophrys niphon
Page Citation
"Species Details - Callophrys niphon, University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum." University of Alberta Museums Search Site, https://search.museums.ualberta.ca/g/2-2611. Accessed 09 May. 2024.
References
Author
Bird, C. D., G.J. Hilchie, N.G. Kondla, E.M. Pike and F. A. H. Sperling
Title
Alberta Butterflies
Publication Date
1995
Pages
349
Author
Guppy, Crispin S. and Jon H. Shepard
Title
Butterflies of British Columbia.
Publication Date
2001
Pages
414
Author
Layberry, Ross A.; Hall, Peter W. and J. Donald LaFontaine
Title
The Butterflies of Canada
Publication Date
1998
Pages
280
Specimen Information
There are 10 specimens of this Species.
UASM25162 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25163 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25164 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25165 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25166 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25167 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25168 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM25169 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Redwater Natural Area
Collected ByLawrie, D.
Date Collected1998-05-02
UASM41051 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Richardson River Dunes Wildland Park
Collected BySchmidt, B. C.
Date Collected2000-06-14
CBCC1435 - Callophrys niphon
University of Alberta E.H. Strickland Entomological Museum
Place CollectedCanada: Alberta, Moose Lake Provincial Park
Collected ByChristensen, C. B.
Date Collected2005-05-27