Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus (Hübner, 1818)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: 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.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm).
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.
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.
NCGR: 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.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 7119 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 17, 2024
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Aug 03, 2025
Submitted by: rynthae
Region: Staunton, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Apr 14, 2024
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Amherst County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Mar 26, 2026
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Union County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Mar 26, 2026
Observation date: Jul 20, 2024
Submitted by: Mboater
Region: Bedford County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Jun 07, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Jul 31, 2024
Submitted by: larryheine@gmail.com
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 23, 2026
Observation date: Aug 01, 2024
Submitted by: larryheine@gmail.com
Region: Rockingham County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Feb 14, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 18, 2026
Observation date: Jul 02, 2025
Submitted by: dkBirder
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: LittleWoodSatyr
Region: Hillsdale County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Feb 14, 2026
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 18, 2026
Observation date: Oct 15, 2025
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 16, 2026
Observation date: Feb 04, 2026
Submitted by: Patricia12
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 07, 2026
Observation date: Jan 31, 2026
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 02, 2026
Observation date: Jan 17, 2026
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Feb 01, 2026
Observation date: Jan 15, 2026
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jan 30, 2026
Observation date: Jan 13, 2026
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Otero County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 19, 2026
Observation date: Jan 14, 2026
Submitted by: cjgoin
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 15, 2026
Observation date: Oct 17, 2025
Submitted by: jamesvonloh
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jan 13, 2026
Observation date: Jul 09, 2025
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Boise County, Idaho, United States
Verified by: stevekohler
Verified date: Jan 03, 2026
Observation date: Dec 27, 2025
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Dec 28, 2025
Observation date: Nov 16, 2025
Submitted by: sgguthart
Region: Larimer County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 23, 2025
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