![\"eastern](\"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/mbsnews\/files\/2015\/05\/eastern-pine-elfin2.jpg\")
<\/a>Eastern Pine Elfins occur broadly in the vicinity of pines but never at high density. \u00a0Keep your eyes on nectar plants in the vicinity of pines. \u00a0We have 330 records of Eastern Pine Elfin.<\/p>\nWe do occasionally get Western Pine Elfins in New England. \u00a0The 30 records we have \u00a0come from northern Maine and the western mountains of Maine.<\/p>\n
As the name suggests, bogs are the place to try for Bog Elfins. \u00a0This species is similar to Eastern Pine Elfin but 20% smaller. \u00a0Bog Elfin females lay eggs on Black Spruce, a conifer restricted to peat bogs. \u00a0 Peat Bogs are a good place to look for Brown Elfins as well. \u00a0This species uses various species in the heath family as host plants. \u00a0Suitable host plants include blueberries, huckleberries, Labrador Tea, Two other species of elfins are worth looking for. \u00a0Although we have few records, I think a little diligent looking could turn up new records for Henry’s\u00a0Elfin and Hoary Elfin.<\/p>\n Henry’s Elfin has a broad distribution along the eastern seaboard from central Florida all the way to Maine. \u00a0South of us, the primary host plants are redbud (Cercis canadensis<\/em>) and hollies (particularly\u00a0Ilex opaca<\/em>, an evergreen southern holly). \u00a0Neither of these shrubs make it as far north as Maine. In our part of the world, Henry’s Elfins use buckthorns (an aggressive, introduced species) for ovipositing. \u00a0Some have suggested that mountain holly (Nemopanthus mucronatus<\/em>) may have been the original host plant in the northern part of the\u00a0range of Henry’s Elfin. \u00a0Checking patches of buckthorns may pay off. \u00a0Mountain holly is very common on the margin of peat bogs so is worth checking\u00a0as well if you visit a peat bog to look for Bog Elfins and Brown Elfins. \u00a0We have only\u00a030 records of this species in our database.<\/p>\n Hoary Elfins have a more northerly distribution than Henry’s Elfin. \u00a0Hoary Elfin females use bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi<\/em>) for their host plants. \u00a0Bearberry is a member of the heath family with a trailing habit. \u00a0I have a suggestion for a place to search for Hoary Elfins if you are close to Acadia. \u00a0The trail across the summit of Penobscot and Sargent Mountains passes through a massive bearberry heath. \u00a0I’ve hiked this trail many times but never in May or early June. \u00a0If you decide to give this trail a try, you can reward yourself with tea and scones at the Jordan Pondhouse after you return!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The time between May 15 and June 8 is prime time for elfins in Maine. \u00a0We know that\u00a0our\u00a0records of elfins in the state underestimate their abundance. \u00a0Because of the patchiness of their host plants, some effort is required to find … Continue reading <\/a>The 136 records we have of this species are mostly from southern York County (Saco Heath is a good spot for these elfins) and Washington County. \u00a0Black Spruce are found throughout the state. \u00a0I expect lots of township and even county records for Bog Elfin are there for the taking.<\/p>\n<\/a>Sheep Laurel and Leatherleaf. \u00a0Brown Elfins occur in upland habitats as well. \u00a0Barrens and other dry habitats with sandy, acidic soils are usually dominated by heaths, just the ticket for Brown Elfins. \u00a0We have 243 records of this species in the Maine Butterfly Survey database.<\/p>\n