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Montana Field Guide

Montana Field Guides

Northern Crescent - Phyciodes cocyta
Other Names:  Pasco Crescent

Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S5


Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:


 

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General Description
[From Ferris and Brown 1981; Scott 1986; Opler and Wright 1999; Glassberg 2001; Pyle 2002] Forewing 1.5-2.0 cm. Variable. Antennae tips usually orange and black, forewing rounded. Uppersurface of males with reduced black reticulations except at borders, relatively large open orange postmedian and submarginal areas; undersurface of hindwing usually with pale tan marginal crescent standing out in a prominent chocolate-brown patch and pale orange worm-like markings. Females darker than males, very similar to Pearl Crescent (P. tharos) or Tawny Crescent (P. batesii).

Phenology
One flight; mid-June to early July in the east (some areas with partial second flight), late May to mid-July in Colorado foothills, mostly June in Alberta and Saskatchewan (some areas with partial second flight), late June to early August in higher mountains and the north (Scott 1986). Mid-May to early September (Glassberg 2001); late April to late September with peaks in June-July and August in Washington and Oregon (Pyle 2002).

Diagnostic Characteristics
Probably best determined by a combination of the antennae tips usually orange and black, uppersurface of males with reduced black reticulations except at borders, relatively large open orange postmedian and submarginal areas; undersurface of hindwing usually with pale tan marginal crescent standing out in a prominent chocolate-brown patch and pale orange worm-like markings. Females similar to Pearl or Tawny Crescents, but usually lack a well-formed light bar across the undersurface of forewing cell.

Species Range
Montana Range Range Descriptions

Native
 


Range Comments
From the Yukon and MacKenzie River Delta southeast across boreal Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, south to Washington and Oregon east of the Cascades, in the Rocky Mountains to southeastern Arizona and southern New Mexico west of the Great Plains, in the Great Lakes region and Dakotas to the Black Hills, in the Appalachian Mountains to Virginia and Kentucky (Scott 1986; Opler and Wright 1999; Glassberg 2001); to at least 2745 m elevation in Colorado (Brown 1957), to at least 1830 m elevation in Oregon (Warren 2005). In Montana, reported from most counties in the western 2/3 of the state (Kohler 1980; Stanford and Opler 1993). Common to abundant (Glassberg 2001).

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 43

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density

Recency

 

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)



Migration
Non-migratory.

Habitat
Aspen groves, moist montane meadows, woodland openings, streamsides (Scott 1986; Opler and Wright 1999; Glassberg 2001; Pyle 2002). In Glacier National Park, Montana, reported from montane xeric and mesic meadows (Debinski 1993).

Food Habits
Larval food plants include several species of Symphyotrichum, also Erigeron, Eucephalus, and Eurybia (Scott 1986; Pyle 2002; Warren 2005; James and Nunnalee 2011). Adults feed on flower nectar (including Apocynum, Arnica, Asclepias, Barbarea, Bidens, Ceanothus, Cirsium, Crepis, Erigeron, Erioganum, Erysimum, Euphorbia, Gaillardia, Grindelia, Hackelia, Helianthus, Heterotheca, Monarda, Rudbeckia, Sedum, Senecio, Solidago, Symphyotrichum, Taraxacum, Trifolium) and mud (Scott 1986, 2014; James and Nunnallee 2011).

Reproductive Characteristics
Females lay eggs in clusters (9 to 200 eggs) on underside of host plant leaves (Scott 1986, 1992; James and Nunnallee 2011). Eggs hatch in about 7-8 days (depending on temperature), develop from L1 instar through L5 instar to pupation in about 26 days; adults eclose (emerge from pupae) after about 8-10 days. Young larvae gregarious, feed on underside of leaves, build no nest, L3-L5 instars less gregarious, rest on undersides of leaves, feed on leaf edges; L3 instar (rarely L4) overwinters (diapauses) (Scott 1986, 2006; Pyle 2002; James and Nunnallee 2011). Males patrol for females throughout the day near host plants, mostly in valley bottoms (Scott 1986; James and Nunnallee 2011).

References
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Citation for data on this website:
Northern Crescent — Phyciodes cocyta.  Montana Field Guide.  .  Retrieved on , from