Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent butterfly (Phyciodes tharos) is an abundant species of butterfly found throughout most of eastern North America. The species has a wingspan of 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 inches and is highly variable in color with several recognized variants.

The Pearl Crescent lays its eggs in clusters on the leaves of asters such as Hairy Aster (Aster pilosus), Smooth Blue Aster (Aster laevis) and Lance-leaved Aster (Aster lanceolatus). The larvae feed gregariously for their first few instars and can overwinter as third instar caterpillars.

In the south these butterflies can be found as a adults throughout most of the year are tend to prefer small wildflowers for nectar. I encountered a small colony of these butterflies on the banks of a spring-fed creek in Northern Florida. In just a few moments I observed more than thirty individuals in the colony going about their daily business of dining and courting.

What’s in a name?: The Genus Phyciodes is commonly known as Crescents and lists 18 species found in North and South America. Most species are highly spotted, variable in pattern and some are sexually dimorphic which means that males and females may have different markings or colors. The name Phyciodes may derive from the Greek word “phykos” which means painted or covered with cosmetics. The species name, tharos, comes from the Greek for strength.

Photo Credit: This specimen was photographed in Crawfordville, Fl on October 18th, 2009 by my friend Patricia Bauman who was unlucky enough to have a camera on hand when I started dashing around after butterflies. Thanks Patti!