The Pearl crescent butterfly lives all around the US and is unique for its lace-like webbing pattern on the wings.
Pearl Crescent Butterfly Species Summary
| Scientific Name | Phyciodes tharos |
| Family Name | Nymphalidae |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Genus | Phyciodes |
| Habitat | Open areas like pastures, vacant lots, road edges |
| Range | Eastern United States and Mexico |
| Host Plant | Asters |
| Butterfly Description | The upperside is orange with borders, and the submarginal areas contain fine black patterns |
| Caterpillar Description | Brown with spikes and prominent black eyes |
What does a Pearl Crescent butterfly look like?
The Pearl crescent butterfly has a variable pattern. Their uppersides are orange with black borders, while postmedian and submarginal areas are crossed by fine black marks. Males are paler than females. Males also come with black antenna knobs, while females don’t.
The undersides of the hindwings have a dark marginal line with a lightly colored crescent. Spring and fall broods have grey-mottled hindwings. The wingspan ranges from 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 inches.
Why Are They Called Pearl Crescent Butterflies?
They’re named this way because of their pattern on the hindwing’s undersides. The mark is a dark patch that goes around the pale crescent.
Similar Colored Butterfly Species
| Northern crescent | More orange with fewer dark spots |
| Silvery checkerspot | Similar to pearl, with more gumdrop-shaped spots |
| Phaon crescent | It has a distinct cream-colored median band on the forewing |
| Tawny Crescent | A similar pattern but a slightly rounder wing shape |
Caterpillar Physical Description
Caterpillars are brown/charcoal gray with lateral cream stripes. They have many short spines. The chrysalis is whitish-grey or yellow-brown with tiny ridges on the upper side. Caterpillars eat the host plant leaves.
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Pearl Crescent Butterfly Lifespan
| Egg Stage | 4 to 10 days |
| Caterpillar Stage | 21 days |
| Chrysalis Stage | 5 to 12 days |
| Butterfly Stage | 4 to 10 days |
Preferred Habitat
The Pearl crescent butterfly likes open areas such as:
- Open pine woods
- Pastures
- Roadsides
- Fields
- Vacant lots
What is the host plant for the pearl crescent butterfly?
New England aster, calico aster, purple-stemmed aster, panicled aster, and smooth aster are ideal planting choices to attract the Pearl crescent butterfly species.
The larvae feed on smooth-leaved plants, such as true asters, including:
- Bushy aster
- New England aster
- Heath aster
- Many-flowered aster
- Whorled aster
- Smooth aster
- Panicled aster
- Purple-stemmed aster
- Calico aster
What does a Pearl Crescent butterfly eat?
Larval food plants are asters (Symphyotrichum). Adults will eat the nectar from a variety of flowers:
- Dogbane
- Swamp milkweed
- Winter cress
- Shepherd’s needle
The Pearl crescent butterfly will often drink from wet puddles on the ground, congregating with other butterflies.
Usual Behavior
After they emerge from the cocoon, Pearl crescent butterflies will congregate around mud puddles. These butterflies usually fly low, near the ground, alternating between gliding and flapping their wings. While they feed, they’ll use a siphoning technique to draw the nectar out.
Once they’re done with the puddle, they will disperse into a nearby field. Males will fly around, looking for females to mate with. This species is also highly competitive and active. They’ll often dart to other butterflies that invade their territory. On the other hand, females get along fine.
Common Predators
All stages of this butterfly’s lifecycle provide food for predators. Birds, insects, and spiders are their most common predators. As with other butterflies, snakes, lizards, wasps, and rodents may also be a threat, depending on the Pearl’s location.
Distribution
The usual sightings of the Pearl crescent butterfly include:
- New Mexico
- Arizona
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Colorado
It’s present around Mexico and areas of southern Canada. Since these butterflies are present throughout the United States, it’s hard to estimate their exact population number. One thing is certain — they aren’t threatened.
Do Pearl Crescent Butterflies Migrate?
Pearl crescent butterflies do not migrate. This butterfly hibernates (overwinters) during the third caterpillar instar.
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