Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak

Bartram's is like a more elegant version of the related Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), with broader white lines, two white dots on the hindwing, longer tails, lovely pale blue fringe when fresh. Bartram's is a distinctive and rare hairstreak of south Florida.

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Posted in: B,Bartram's Scrub-Hairstreak,Lycaenidae

Greenish Blue

In the female of Greenish Blue the forewing is dim tan with a blue sheen, absolutely close to the base of the wings, and there is a column of weak orange-topped dark spots on the hindwing edge. The upperside in the male is a pale metallic blue, with narrow black borders and a row of dark spots near the margin of the hindwing. In both sexes there is a black spot at the end of the forewing cell and often a smaller black one on the hindwing. The underside in the male is gleaming grey, bluish near the base of the wings; in the female it is darker grey to pale tan.

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Posted in: G,Greenish Blue,Lycaenidae

Western Brown Elfin

Western Brown Elfin, found from ocean level to tree-line in a fabulous mixed bag of territories; frequently regular. An early-spring species, possibly single-brooded but with indications of a second crop at the most reduced rises (which might be due to staggered emergence on different slopes). Males are territorial perchers. Both sexes visit flowers, including those of Redbud early in the season and Yerba Santa later.

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Posted in: Lycaenidae,W,Western Brown Elfin

Red-banded Hairstreak

Red-banded Hairstreak, one of our most normal and different hairstreaks. They happen throughout North Carolina, but are most exceptionally normal in the Coastal Plain and easier Piedmont.

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Posted in: Lycaenidae,R,Red-banded Hairstreak

Golden Hairstreak

The Golden Hairstreak (Habrodais grunus) is the sole representative of the Habrodais genus in the United States. A very strange species, often common to abundant (but occasionally rare) and demonstrably long-lived, yet not known to visit flowers (or anything else resembling a food source) at all. It has a very short proboscis.

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Posted in: G,Golden Hairstreak,Lycaenidae

Western Pine Elfin

The Western Pine Elfin (Callophrys eryphron) is a North American butterfly that ranges from British Columbia east to Maine and south to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Males are brown and females are orange-brown, with both having bold patterned hind wings. The top of the wings have dark bars with a lighter chevron shaped margin. The body is 19–32 mm in length and has no tail.

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Posted in: Lycaenidae,W,Western Pine Elfin

Acmon Blue

The Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon) is a North American butterfly. It ranges mainly in California but can be seen north to Oregon and south through Baja California. The tops of the wings are blue with dark edges in males and brown in females. Its underside is white with black spots for both sexes with a red-orange band on the hindwing. Adults feed on nectar while caterpillars can feed on buckwheats, lupines,

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Posted in: A,Acmon Blue,Lycaenidae

Gray Hairstreak

The Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), is one of the most common hairstreaks in North America, ranging over nearly the entire continent. It occurs also throughout Central America and in northern South America. Gray Hairstreak is one of the most generally distributed butterflies. The caterpillar is known regionally as the "cotton square borer," and has upon occasion damaged commercial bean, hops, and cotton crops.

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Posted in: G,Gray Hairstreak,Lycaenidae

Spring Azure

The Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in North America from Alaska and Canada south of the tundra through most of the United States except the Texas coast, southern plain and peninsular Florida; south in the mountains to Colombia.

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Posted in: Lycaenidae,S,Spring Azure