Pollinator
Pearl crescent
Phyciodes tharos
A small, abundant orange crescent of summer fields, raised on asters.
- Family
- Nymphalidae (brush-footed)
- Wingspan
- 1.25 to 1.75 in (3.2 to 4.5 cm)
- Flight season
- Spring to fall (several broods)
- Range
- Across North America
- Caterpillar food
- Asters
- Conservation
- Secure and widespread
A small, abundant orange-and-black butterfly, the pearl crescent is one of the most familiar sights of summer fields and roadsides across the continent.
It flies low and often, in several broods a year, basking with open wings and nectaring on a wide range of small flowers.
Caterpillars feed on asters, so a planting of native asters both feeds the adults and raises the next generation.
Plants for the pearl crescent
4 caterpillar host plants and 83 documented nectar plants. Pick a role, then narrow with the filters below.
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No plants match those filters.
Sources
- Butterflies and Moths of North America ↗
- iNaturalist ↗
- Plant associations from GloBI flower-visit records and NPIN larval-host data. Butterfly photographs via iNaturalist (CC BY).