San Bruno elfin
subspecies of butterfly
The San Bruno elfin (Callophrys mossii bayensis) is a U.S. federally listed endangered subspecies that inhabits rocky outcrops and cliffs in coastal scrub on the San Francisco Peninsula. It is endemic to this habitat in California. Its patchy distribution reflects that of its host plant, broadleaf stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium).
Life cycle
Adults of this butterfly emerge in February and March, when nectar providing flowers open. After mating, the female locates host plants on which to deposit her eggs, which hatch within a week. The tiny larvae first feed on the plant's vegetative structures; however, when the stonecrop's flowers begin to open, the larvae migrate upward and feed on the flowers themselves. By June most have completed their larval development at which time they evacuate from the host plant to pupate in ground litter. They lie dormant as pupae until the following spring, when the life cycle begins anew.
The San Bruno elfin's life cycle holds an interesting aspect, common to many other lycaenids regarding a symbiotic interaction with ants. Elfin larvae excrete a sweet liquid known as honeydew which attracts ants.
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