white m hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

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

IDENTIFICATION: Tailed. Upperside iridescent blue with black borders. Underside grayish brown; white postmedian line edged with black and forming a white M (or W) near tail; white spot near base of costa.

LIFE HISTORY: Not reported.

FLIGHT: Three broods in the north, four in Florida, from February-
October.

WING SPAN: 1 1/4 - 1 5/8 inches (3.2 -4.1 cm).

CATERPILLAR HOSTS: Live oak (Quercus virginiana) and other oak
species.

ADULT FOOD: Nectar from a variety of flowers including viburnum,
sumac, sourwood, wild plum, poinsettia, sweet pepperbush, common
milkweed, lantana, dogwood, and goldenrod.

HABITAT: Woods with broadleaf trees.

RANGE: Connecticut west to southeast Iowa and Missouri, south to east
Texas, the Gulf Coast, and peninsular Florida. Rare stray to Michigan and Wisconsin.

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.

 

      January

      February

      March

      April
      May

      June

      July

      August

      September

      October

      November

      December

 

 

Back to Inventory of Butterfly Families and Species