red banded hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)
CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.
FAMILY: Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
SUBFAMILY: Hairstreaks (Theclinae)
IDENTIFICATION: Two tails on the hindwing. Upperside brown,
hindwing blue. Underside gray-brown with white postmedian line
edged with red-orange.
LIFE HISTORY: Males perch on shrubs and low trees to watch for
females. Females lay eggs singly on underside of fallen leaves near
the host plant. Caterpillars feed on leaves and buds and probably
detritus. Chrysalids and fourth-stage caterpillars hibernate.
FLIGHT: All year in Florida, two broods northward from April-October.
WING SPAN: 7/8 - 1 1/4 inches (2.2 - 3.2 cm).
CATERPILLAR HOSTS: Fallen leaves of wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera),
dwarf sumac (Rhus copallina), staghorn sumac (R. typhina), and several
oaks.
ADULT FOOD: Flower nectar from yarrow, wild cherry, tickseed sunflower,
sumac, sweet pepperbush, New Jersey tea, common milkweed, and
dogbane.
HABITAT: Coastal hammocks, overgrown fields, forest edges.
RANGE: Southeastern United States from Long Island south through
Florida, west through entire area to southeast Kansas, eastern Oklahoma,
and eastern Texas. Strays to eastern Nebraska, northern Illinois, and
Michigan.
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: Not 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.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Park Activities
Calendar of Events
Volunteer Programs
Sky Meadows Park
Location
Geography
Habitats
Trails
Visiting Park
Crooked Run Valley
Special Projects