Home / Brush-Footed (Nymphalidae) / Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

Pearl crescents are colorful butterflies found in North America. Their color patterns are somewhat variable geographically, but even with the variations, they are one of the most beautiful butterflies around.

Scientific Classification

Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Phyciodes
Common names: Pearl Crescent
Scientific Name: Phyciodes tharos

Identification

Caterpillar

These are chocolate brown, white, and black with bristles. They feed communally slowly making their way down the food plant.

Pupa

The chrysalis is whitish grey to yellow-brown in color with subtle, bumpy ridges on the upper surface.

Adult Butterfly

Sexual Dimorphism: Males have a knob at the tip of their antenna. Females are darker in color than males.

When unfolded, the upper side of the wings is orange with black markings and margins.

In a folded position, the underside of the wings are grey-brown to orange-brown; they lack the black dots but have a white crescent along the border.

Average Wingspan: 1.18-1.58 inches (3-4 cm).

Flight Pattern: Erratic; they tend to fly low, staying near the ground, alternating between gliding and flapping their wings.

Eggs

The eggs are green in color and laid in small groupings on the underside of the leaves of their host plant.

Quick Facts
Distribution	All of the United States other than the west coast, across Mexico, and Southern Canada
Habitat	Fields, pastures, open pine forests, roadsides, and vacant areas
Host plants	Various aster plants
Adult diet	Nectar from swamp milkweed, dogbane, asters, winter cress and shepherd’s needle