Although the weather is still hot and we are still in the afternoon and evening thunderstorm pattern so typical of Florida summer, fall is definitely just around the corner. Our late summer wildflowers are fading and the fall flowers are beginning to bloom. When fall flowers start to bloom, fall butterflies come to feed. One of the most colorful and beautiful of these is the pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos). This mulitcolored butterfly has multiple flights each year, but the population seems to be largest, at least in this area, during the fall.

The pearl crescent is usually found in open, sunny but moist areas like fields and pastures, forest edges and clearings, right of ways, open roadsides, near creeks, rivers, and lakes, and in gardens. It looks very similar to the Phaon crescent (Phyciodes phaon), but has a much larger range. The Phaon crescent is mostly a southern butterfly, while the pearl crescent can be found in most of the United States except for the north western states. Similarly, it is found in all provinces of Canada except British Columbia. It’s range also extends southward through Mexico. Pearl crescents will nectar on a wide variety of flowers including dogbane, most asters, winter cress, milkweed, and of course blackjack. As with many butterfly species, males patrol feeding areas in search of receptive females. The caterpillars feed on aster leaves.

These particular butterflies were flying around feeding and searching for mates in a patch of blackjacks near my office. I go out there often to look for butterflies since it attracts quite a variety. This patch is actually the very same place where I photographed the zebra swallowtails last week. It helps to remind me that you really can find wildlife almost anywhere if you keep your eyes open.