Bug FAQHenry's Elfin
Incisalia henrici · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
Henry's elfin is a small North American butterfly with a wingspan of about 20 to 25 mm (0.8 to 1 in). It lives in many habitats from barrens and coastal holly forests to open and mesquite woodlands across southern Canada and the United States. Adults appear from early March in the south to early June in the north, and the species has one generation per year.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The upper wing surface is dark brown, while the underside is two-toned with a dark basal area and a white-tipped postmedian line on the hindwing. The hindwing edge is frosted, the forewing edge can have a green tint, and the hindwing has short stubby tails.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Wingspan ranges from 20 to 25 mm (0.79 to 0.98 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found in a wide range of habitats including barrens, coastal holly forests, open woodlands and mesquite woodlands.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Eastern populations use various hollies (Ilex) as host plants, while northern and Appalachian populations use redbud (Cercis canadensis).
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one brood each year and the pupa overwinters in leaf litter.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is a North American butterfly native to the United States and Canada, from southern Manitoba to southern Nova Scotia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Florida, Missouri.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When can I expect to see Henry's elfin?
In the south they appear in March-April, while in the north they show up in May-June.
Source: Wikipedia
What plants do the caterpillars feed on?
Coastal and eastern populations use hollies, and northern populations use redbud as host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I tell Henry's elfin apart from similar species?
Look for its dark brown upper wings, frosted hindwing edge, short stubby tails, and the white tips on the hindwing postmedian line; the frosted elfin is larger and has a stigma on males.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callophrys_henrici
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.