The Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus) butterfly is listed as a state endangered species in Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, and Ohio. It is threatened in five states; Connecticut, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin and is a Species of Concern in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The range for this species covers the eastern United States but is local and usually scarce throughout the area.
The host plants include Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) and Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis) along with other species in the family Fabaceae. The natural habitat includes open woods, forest edges, and fields. These areas have decreased with the destruction of barren and savannah habitat mostly because of development and degradation of vegetation due to succession and fragmentation of habitat areas.
For additional information regarding the Frosted Elfin, please visit The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, https://www.xerces.org/frosted-elfin. (Photo Credit: MaryAnn Friedmann)
