gray hairstreak | skymeadows

gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus)

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

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

IDENTIFICATION: One tail on hindwing. Upperside blue-gray with large
red spot near tail. Underside of spring/fall form is dark gray, summer
form is paler gray. Relatively straight postmedian line is white, bordered
with orange on the inside edge.

LIFE HISTORY: Males perch all afternoon on small trees and shrubs to
seek receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on flowers of host plant.
Young caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits; older ones may eat leaves.
Chrysalids hibernate.

FLIGHT: Two flights from May-September in the north, three-four flights
from February-November in the south.

WING SPAN: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm).

CATERPILLAR HOSTS: Flowers and fruits from an almost endless variety
of plants; most often from pea (Fabaceae) and mallow (Malvaceae)
families including beans (Phaseolus), clovers (Trifolium), cotton
(Gossypium), and mallow (Malva).

ADULT FOOD: Nectar from many flower species including dogbane,
milkweed, mint, winter cress, goldenrod, tick trefoil, and white sweet
clover.

HABITAT: Open, nonforested sites; common in disturbed, weedy areas.

RANGE: Throughout continental United States from southern Canada
south to Mexico; southward to Venezuela. Comments: The most
widespread hairstreak in North America.

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: Caterpillars may cause economic damage to
bean and cotton crops.

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.