Moss' Elfin
Callophrys mossii (Hy. Edwards, 1881)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Upperside of male grayish brown with a tan patch on hindwing inner margin; female light brown to tan with dark borders. Underside coppery brown to purplish brown; inner half of hindwing darker than light outer half.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.8 cm).
Life History: In California, males perch on shrubs or at tops of cliffs to watch for females; in Colorado they perch in gulches. Eggs are laid singly on the underside of host plant leaves. Young caterpillars feed on leaves; older ones on flowers and fruits. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight from March-June.
Caterpillar Hosts: Stonecrop (Sedum, Sedella, Dudleya, and Parvisedum) species in the Crassulaceae family.
Adult Food: Not reported.
Habitat: Rocky outcrops, woody canyons, cliffs.
Range: Patchy, isolated populations from British Columbia south to southern California, east to Wyoming and Colorado.
Conservation: The San Bruno Elfin (Callophrys mossii bayensis) is listed as Endangered by the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service. This subspecies is limited to the San Bruno Mountains in San Mateo County, California and a few nearby sites. The San Bruno Elfin has The Nature Conservancy Rank of T1 - Critically imperiled because of extreme rarity (5 or fewer occurrences, or very few remaining individuals), or because of some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable to extinction. (Critically endangered throughout its range).
NCGR:
Management Needs: Protect habitat of the San Bruno Elfin and other limited populations from development and encroachment by non-native plants.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 73 - 96 of 249 verified sightings
Observation date: May 18, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 31, 1982
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jun 27, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (unknown)
Region: Del Norte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 17, 2009
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Missoula County, Montana, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Apr 08, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: paulopler (Paul Opler)
Region: United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: BAMONA (Steve Poole)
Region: Park County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: BAMONA
Verified date: Sep 06, 2010
Observation date: Jul 23, 1991
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (John F. Emmel)
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 06, 1990
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (P. M. Thompson)
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 17, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (J. B. Vernon)
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Aug 02, 2010
Observation date: Mar 16, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Parkinson)
Region: Placer County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2010
Observation date: Mar 24, 1984
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Langston, D. Parkinson)
Region: Nevada County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 28, 1983
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (James R. Mori)
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2010
Observation date: Jun 28, 1983
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (James R. Mori)
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Apr 02, 2010
Observation date: Apr 07, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Oakley Shields)
Region: Mariposa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 28, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sterling Mattoon)
Region: Del Norte County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 14, 1980
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. V. Kelson)
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 14, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Sterling Mattoon)
Region: Humboldt County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 07, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Michael Smith)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: May 10, 1981
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. V. Kelson)
Region: Nevada County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 08, 1991
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro)
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 12, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro)
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Mar 09, 2010
Observation date: Jun 08, 1991
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro)
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 25, 2010
Observation date: Jun 12, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (A. M. Shapiro)
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 25, 2010
Observation date: May 16, 1976
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Jim Brock)
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport (Ken Davenport)
Verified date: Jan 07, 2010
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