Desert Elfin
Callophrys fotis fotis
==Incisalia fotis

Immatures


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Adult      Eclosure     Specimen


Ovum
Female Located  24 April 2014 oviposited on same day
ovum

First Instar Emerged 29 April 2014
Female located 24th, and oviposited on 24th, first
                instar 29th


Molted to Second Instar  May 3, 2014
Photo  - May 4, 2014
2bd Instar

Second Instar
-  Photo May 4, 2014
2nd instar

Molted to Third Instar May 6th, 2014
Photo May 8, 2014
8th


Third Instar -  May 8, 2014
8th


After Molting to Fourth instar on May 9, 2014
3rd


After molting to Fourth instar on May 9, 2014
molted May 9th


Fourth Instar on May 12, 2014 - 12 mm
4th


Fourth Instar on May 12, 2014 - 12 mm
lateral


Pupa Formed May 19, 2014
pupa
pupa
pupa





LOCATION:
Larva collected on host plant,
Purshia mexicana by Todd Stout on May 27, 2006 -
Blue Canyon 2.0 miles WNW of  Johnson Pass
 in  the Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah


Hole left in the flower buds of the plant after
larvae have finished eating the inside of the buds

plant hole


______________________
Third Instar - May 28, 2006

fotis larva


larva

Last Instar (fourth)
larva


Prepupa - May 29, 2006
prepupa



Prepupa after leaving plant to pupate - May 29, 2006
prepupa



PUPAE
June 03, 2006 -  Just after forming pupa
PUPA




January 23, 2007 after coming out of diapause
002
003
004


7:25 A.M. January 31, 2007
 Morning before eclosure


60
062

059

PHOTO DETAILS - © Nicky Davis
LOCATION:  Female located by Les and Nicky Davis  24 April 2014 at Blue Canyon, Tooele County, Utah
13 ova were oviposited  that afternoon on host plant, Stansbury Cliffrose -  Purshia stansburiana (mexicana)
1 ovum located on cutting of host plant.  Two females laid 113 ova over  about 10 days. There was a 75 per cent "hatch" rate.   Sixty four made it to fourth instar.

Photos:
Ovum on 24 April 2014
First Instar on 29 April 2014 - Barely visible
Molted to Second Instar May 3, 2014 - 2.5 mm. Second Instar dorsal and lateral views on May 4, 2014 feeding on bud of Purshia stansburiana
Molted to Third Instar May 6, 2014 - 4 mm on May  6th - Photos May 8, 2014
Molted to Fourth Instar May 9, 2014 - 7 mm on May 9th -  Photos May 9, 2014
11 mm. on May 11th and 12 mm on May 12, 2014
Prepupa May 16, 2014
Pupa May 18, 2014 - 9 mm long

Time spent as
Ovum  - 4 to 5 days
First Instar - 4 days
Second Instar -  3 days
Third Instar -  3 days
Fourth Instar - 7 days
Prepupa -  2 days
Pupa -  Hibernated over winter at just above freezing temperatures.  Removed on April 11, 2015 and first one emerged after seven days on April 18, 2015. 
________________________________

LOCATION:Larva collected on host plant, Purshia mexicana by Todd Stout on May 27, 2006 - Blue Canyon 2.0 miles WNW of  Johnson Pass in  the Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah

Larvae
1., 2. Probably 3rd instar
5., 6. Fourth instar after leaving host plant  to find an appropriate place to pupate
3., 4. Fourth (last) instar

Pupae
Pupae were left under summer conditions from June 3, 2006 to July 15, 2006, then into winter conditions until January 23, 2007 when they were  moved back to summer conditions.The butterfly eclosed January 31, 2007

1. thru 7. Shows pupa development from June 3, 2006 until the butterfly eclosed January 31, 2007

Host Plant
Stansbury Cliffrose- Purshia stansburiana

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