Henry's Elfin
Callophrys henrici (Grote & Robinson, 1867)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Tailed. Upperside dark brown; male without oval spot at forewing front edge. Often a dull orange tinge at outer margin of forewing and near tail of hindwing. Underside forewing with fairly straight postmedian line; hindwing with some white in the postmedian line.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch on host plants during warm daylight hours. Location of egg deposition on plants varies with the plant species: on American holly an egg is laid on the center of an old host leaf just before bud break, while on redbud eggs are laid on flowers and buds. Caterpillars eat buds and young leaves, and pupate in litter at the base of the host plant. Chrysalids overwinter.
Flight: One flight from February-May.
Caterpillar Hosts: Diverse plants texana) in Texas; dahoon (Ilex cassine), American holly (I. opaca), and yaupon (I. vomitoria) in Florida and North Carolina. Redbud (Ceris canadensis), huckleberries and blueberries (Vaccinium species), Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa), and Viburnum species are selected in other locations.
Adult Food: Where redbud is the caterpillar host, its flowers are the main nectar supply for adults. In other places, flowers of plants that are not the caterpillar host are used for nectar including willows, wild plum and hawthorn, and Forstiera.
Habitat: Edges and openings in barrens and near pine or pine-oak woodland.
Range: Maine west through southern Canada to Wisconsin, south to Texas, the Gulf Coast, and central Florida.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Not reported.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Incisalia henrici
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 1355 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 09, 1996
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Grayson County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 29, 2024
Observation date: Mar 11, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Volusia County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Aug 11, 2024
Observation date: May 08, 2024
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: Cass County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 28, 2024
Submitted by: Sometimes
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: Greg Sievert
Region: Lyon County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 15, 2024
Observation date: Apr 30, 2021
Submitted by: terrymortier
Region: Burnett County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 04, 2024
Submitted by: Dobber31
Region: Benton County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Apr 07, 2024
Observation date: Mar 21, 2024
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Mar 22, 2024
Observation date: Mar 09, 2024
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 14, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2008
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 22, 2023
Observation date: May 21, 2023
Submitted by: Jaden Johnson
Region: Benzie County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Apr 09, 2023
Submitted by: Stephen Craig
Region: Christian County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: Apr 17, 2023
Submitted by: Stephen Craig
Region: Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: May 30, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2023
Observation date: May 15, 2023
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: May 06, 2023
Submitted by: ian pepper
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 09, 2023
Observation date: Apr 15, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 19, 2023
Observation date: Apr 19, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 19, 2023
Observation date: Mar 20, 2023
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 21, 2023
Observation date: Mar 03, 2023
Submitted by: John Gibbons
Region: Pinellas County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Mar 04, 2023
Observation date: Mar 23, 2020
Submitted by: Ron Smith
Region: Levy County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Feb 16, 2023
Observation date: May 04, 2022
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jan 19, 2023
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