Bug FAQHarvester
Feniseca tarquinius · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
The harvester butterfly has a wingspan of about 23 to 32 mm. It lives in wooded streamsides near alders in eastern North America and is generally scarce, appearing from early spring through fall. Unlike most butterflies, its larvae feed only on aphids, making it an obligate carnivore.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Feniseca tarquinius, called the harvester, is the sole species in its genus and belongs to the Lycaenidae family.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan ranges from 23 to 32 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers wooded areas near streams, especially where alders grow.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Adults are present from early spring until fall and are generally scarce.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
It can be seen from early spring through fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is found in eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 38 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Michigan, New Hampshire, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the harvester butterfly eat?
Its larvae feed only on aphids, making it an obligate carnivore.
Source: Wikipedia
When can I see harvester butterflies?
Adults are present from early spring until fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where does the harvester butterfly live?
It lives in wooded streamside habitats near alders in eastern North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feniseca
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.