Incisalia mossii hidakupa
(San Gabriel Mountains) Moss's Elfin
A rare little elfin of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains. The subspecies name hidakupa is a Kizh word for the San Gabriel Mountains. The type locality is Stoddard Canyon in the San Gabriels, which is up Mt Baldy Road. Females oviposit mostly in buds of the succulent Sedum spathulifolium (Crassulaceae family), which grows on north-facing cliffs and steep slopes at ca. 5000' elevation. Such shady habitats that are right for the plant aren't especially common, so the butterfly isn't either. The eggs develop and hatch relatively quickly, and the bright red larvae feed on the outer part of the flowering plant until they are ready to pupate. They will then spend the rest of the year (and through the winter) in the chrysalis. In spring they fly once again, in a single brood, usually in April and early May.
Incisalia mossii hidakupa, the San Gabriel Mountains elfin, from the southern San Bernardinos. April, 2025.
Another mossii from the same colony in the San Bernardinos on the same hike.
Incisalia mossii hidakupa at Glendora Ridge Road near Mt. Baldy. April 26, 2009.
These are somewhat similar in appearance to the common brown elfin, but I noticed that hidakupa is often a weaker flyer. Same place, April 26, 2009.
It took a lot of patience to find these. This was my eight or ninth attempt, and I was at this spot for about fifteen minutes and about to leave when the first flew past me. I saw a total of four in about an hour. Same place, same day.
One more from the same day. These were first found not far from here by John Emmel and they were formally described in the Systematics book in 1998.
The eggs of this species are about half a millimeter in diameter and laid mostly in the flowerbuds of the host Sedum. April, 2025.
This is the larva of Incisalia mossii hidakupa, the San Gabriel Mountains elfin, photographed May 31st, 2008. The host plant is Sedum spathulifolium, and this larva was chewing the epidermis of the flower stem.
Another caterpillar, probably a third instar. I'm rearing a couple of these from the San Bernardinos. May 4th, 2025.
Sedum spathulifolium on a north-facing (shady) slope in the San Gabriels. It's a beautiful succulent.
Sedum spathulifolium, or Pacific Stonecrop, is the larval food plant of the subspecies of Moss's elfin in the San Gabriels. Note that the red caterpillar would be cryptic on the red flower stems.
©Dennis Walker
