Hoary Elfin
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Isle Royale National Park

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

20 Verified sightings at Isle Royale National Park From 2019 to 2026
39 In all 2 parks
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Hoary Elfin

Callophrys polios, the hoary elfin, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is listed as a species of special concern and believed extirpated in the US state of Connecticut. The wingspan is 22–29 mm. Adults are on wing from April to June in one generation.

The larvae feed on Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and possibly Epigaea repens. The adults feed on flower nectar from various species, including leatherleaf, pyxie, wild strawberry and willow. Hibernation takes place as a chrysalid. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
2 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Calgary 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Hoary Elfin in Isle Royale National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Hoary Elfin sighting in Isle Royale National Park on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 18th most-seen of the 48 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

What time of day is best to see a Hoary Elfin?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hoary Elfin sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Isle Royale National Park the best place to see a Hoary Elfin?

Yes

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Hoary Elfin sightings, Isle Royale National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Rocky Mountain National Park (United States, about 10%).

Where does the Hoary Elfin sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Hoary Elfin is recorded against all the insects logged in Isle Royale National Park (20 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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