Tawny Crescent (Phyciodes batesii maconensis)
| A rare, beautiful species of the western mountains of North Carolina, similar to the Mimic Crescent and the much more common and widespread Pearl Crescent and, but with more black above, and a very distinctive nearly unmarked tawny underside of the hindwing, and larger. Fresh male, Clay Co., NC 5/14/05. |
| Upperside of the same individual. The form of Tawny Crescent found in western NC has been described as subspecies Phyciodes batesii maconensis (named for Macon County, NC) but may merit full species status. Compare photos of the type specimens on the TILS-TTR web site. Fresh male, Clay Co., NC 5/14/05. |
| Different individual from the same locality. Male, Clay Co., NC 5/14/05. |
| Male, Clay Co., NC 5/21/05. |
| This female looks a bit odd - Tawnys should have brown clubs, without the prominent orange that this individual has. Is it a Tawny? A Tawny-Mimic hybrid? We may not be able to know for sure. See underside photo below. Clay Co., NC 5/21/05. |
| Same individual as above. Ron Gatrelle says summer and fall Mimic females have undersides like this and he isn't quite sure what to call this individual. Female, Clay Co., NC 5/21/05. |
| Here's another atypical female. Ron Gatrelle says he has "some reared Tawnys here that are marked just like this. The black patch on the leading edge of the FW is real wide which is a good Tawny trait." Eagle Fork Rd., Clay Co., NC 5/22/05. |
| Male, Clay Co., NC 5/21/05. |