North American Ecology (US and Canada)
provided by North American Butterfly Knowledge Network
Phyciodes batesii is resident across eastern Canada to western Alberta, south along the Appalachians to Georgia, and as several separate populations in central North America (Scott 1986). Habitats are drier sites such as slopes with little vegetation in the northeast, in moist areas in Michigan-Wisconsin. Host plants are herbaceous with most known hosts restricted to one genus, Aster (Compositae), and the main host Aster undulates. Eggs are laid on the host plant in clusters. Individuals overwinter as third-stage larvae. There is one flight each year with the approximate flight time June 15- July 31 in the northern part of the range and May 15-June in the southern part of their range (Scott 1986).
Conservation Status
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Not of concern.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Cyclicity
provided by University of Alberta Museums
One brood, most commonly flying between mid June to early July.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Distribution
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Southwestern NWT south to Arizona in the mountains, east across southern Canada and the northern US (Opler 1999).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
General Description
provided by University of Alberta Museums
"The crescents form a complex group of poorly understood species, partly as a result of the fact that they are often very similar in appearance. Extensive genetic research by Wahlberg et al. (2003) has not clarified the species relationships.
The Tawny Crescent is similar to P. tharos and P. cocyta, but has more upperside black markings than cocyta, and the tip of the antennal club is black and white, not not black, white and orange as in cocyta and tharos. This character is not reliable for separating females of these species. Female crescents in general have more black markings on the upperside and paler orange spots in addition to the orange ground colour; and are best identified by association with males from the same population.
Our populations are subspecies lakota (Scott 1994).
"
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Habitat
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Open, sandy pine woods and prairie badlands.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Life Cycle
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Scott (1994) provides a detailed description of the immature stages. The eggs are pale green, laid in clusters and the mature larvae are dark brown with spines and cream spots. Larvaer overwinter in the fourth instar, and live in communal silk nests in the early instars (Scott 1994). The Tawny Crescent has a localized didtribution in Alberta, and is not encountered as often as the other crescents.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Trophic Strategy
provided by University of Alberta Museums
Tawny Crescent larvae feed on Aster laevis in Nebraska (Scott 1994), likely the main host throughout its range according to Scott (1994).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- University of Alberta Museums
Phyciodes batesii
provided by wikipedia EN
Phyciodes batesii, the tawny crescent, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae that occurs in North America.
Description
The upperside is dark brown with orange and the forewing has a pale postmedian band with submarginal bands. The female's black submarginal band has dots. Both sexes have black and white antenna knobs. The wingspan is from 25 to 38 mm.[2]
Life cycle
Adults fly once a year between May and July. There is sometimes a partial second brood in Michigan. During this time the females lay their eggs in groups on the host plants. The third-instar caterpillars hibernate.
Larval foods
Adult foods
Similar species
References
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Phyciodes batesii: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Phyciodes batesii, the tawny crescent, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae that occurs in North America.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
