Harvester
Feniseca tarquinius (Fabricius, 1793)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Miletinae
Identification: Upperside has black spots and orange-brown areas surrounded by black. Underside hindwing is orange-brown to orange-purple with small, faint white circles.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/4 inches (3 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch in sunlight on the edge of leaves, watching for females, then fly back and forth in the area, returning to where they started. Females lay eggs in colonies of woolly aphids and sometimes scale insects or treehoppers because caterpillars are carnivorous on these insects. For protection from ants, some caterpillars feed under a silken mat covered with aphid carcasses.
Flight: Two flights in the north from May-August; three in the south from February-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Woolly aphids (Neoprociphilus, Pemphigus, Prociphilus, and Schizoneura) and sometimes scale insects or treehoppers; these insects suck sap from alders, witch hazel, ash, beech, hawthorn, and wild currant.
Adult Food: Adult\'s short proboscis is suited for feeding on aphid honeydew; they do not sip flower nectar.
Habitat: Deciduous or mixed woodlands along streams.
Range: Eastern United States west to Minnesota, south to central Texas and central Florida. Comments: Only North American butterfly species with carnivorous caterpillars.
Conservation: Not normally required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 1602 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 30, 2023
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Van Buren County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: elsner
Verified date: Feb 16, 2024
Observation date: Sep 15, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Nov 11, 2023
Observation date: Sep 07, 2023
Submitted by: Susan F C
Region: Boone County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 13, 2023
Observation date: Aug 27, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 31, 2023
Observation date: Aug 10, 2023
Submitted by: vogelbild
Region: DuPage County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 21, 2023
Submitted by: bsiverhus
Region: Roseau County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 13, 2023
Observation date: Aug 09, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 10, 2023
Observation date: Jul 08, 2023
Submitted by: zbeckb
Region: Lawrence County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 08, 2023
Observation date: Jul 06, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 06, 2023
Observation date: Jul 01, 2023
Submitted by: David Sonnen
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 04, 2023
Observation date: Jul 03, 2023
Submitted by: Col
Region: Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 04, 2023
Observation date: Jun 12, 2023
Submitted by: Stephen Craig
Region: Christian County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 03, 2023
Observation date: Jun 26, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 26, 2023
Observation date: Jun 25, 2023
Submitted by: AJ Trently
Region: Haywood County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 25, 2023
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: Stephen Craig
Region: Christian County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 11, 2023
Observation date: May 27, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 08, 2023
Observation date: May 26, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: May 26, 2023
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 27, 2023
Observation date: May 20, 2023
Submitted by: David Sonnen
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 26, 2023
Observation date: May 19, 2023
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 22, 2023
Observation date: Apr 21, 2023
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 09, 2023
Observation date: Sep 02, 2022
Submitted by: Vee Huisman
Region: Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Feb 20, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2022
Submitted by: Vee Huisman
Region: Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Oct 03, 2022
Observation date: Sep 21, 2022
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 30, 2022
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