banded hairstreak | skymeadows

banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus)

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

FAMILY: Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
SUBFAMILY: Hairstreaks (Theclinae)

IDENTIFICATION: Hindwing has 1 long and 1 short tail. Upperside of
both sexes dark brown. Underside of hindwing dark brown with
postmedian band of dark dashes edged in white. Blue tail-spot not
topped with orange.

LIFE HISTORY: Males perch on low shrubs and tree branches during the
day, watching for females. Eggs are laid on twigs of the host during the
summer, and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat catkins and
leaves.

FLIGHT: One flight from June-August in the north, April-May in Florida.
WING SPAN: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).

CATERPILLAR HOSTS: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans),
and hickory (Carya).

ADULT FOOD: Nectar from flowers including dogbane and common
milkweed (preferred), chinquapin, small-flowered dogwood, New Jersey
tea, meadowsweet, staghorn sumac, white sweet clover, and yarrow.

HABITAT: Forest areas and neighboring open edges and fields.

RANGE: Maine across southern Canada to North Dakota; south to central
Texas and the Gulf States. Southern Rocky Mountains in Wyoming,
Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico.

CONSERVATION: Not usually required.

NATURESERVE GLOBAL STATUS: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally,
though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the
periphery.

MANAGEMENT NEEDS: None reported.

SKY MEADOWS OCCURRENCE:

Note: Due to seasonal conditions in this region, occurrence may vary from

year to year. The designation of occurrence may range over two or more

categories and may vary even during a single season.

Key to Checklist

A   Abundant: Easy to see very large numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
C   Common: Usually each to see good numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
U   Uncommon: Sometimes found in appropriate habitat and proper time of year,
      usually in low numbers.
O   Occasional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times a year, usually
      in low numbers.
R   Rare: Small chance of being found, even in appropriate habitat at proper time of
      year. There are few individuals and may not be present every year.
X   Extirpated: Formerly present, no longer occurs in Sky Meadows Park.