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 25 - 48 of 6919 verified sightings
Observation date: Oct 09, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 09, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 09, 2023
Submitted by: Sue Bocchicchio
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 23, 2023
Submitted by: Martin Neil UK
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 24, 2023
Observation date: Oct 21, 2023
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 23, 2023
Observation date: Oct 15, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 22, 2023
Observation date: Oct 07, 2023
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 17, 2023
Observation date: Sep 15, 2023
Submitted by: kristenej
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 13, 2023
Observation date: Oct 06, 2023
Submitted by: asombro_institute
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Sep 20, 2023
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Oct 12, 2023
Observation date: Oct 04, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2023
Observation date: Oct 05, 2023
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 09, 2023
Observation date: Sep 28, 2023
Submitted by: hsmarshall
Region: Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Oct 08, 2023
Observation date: Sep 10, 2023
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Sonoma County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 06, 2023
Observation date: Oct 03, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Oct 03, 2023
Observation date: Sep 20, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 30, 2023
Observation date: Aug 31, 2023
Submitted by: katb1
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Jul 15, 2023
Submitted by: katb1
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 13, 2023
Submitted by: katb1
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Sep 28, 2023
Observation date: Sep 21, 2023
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Porter County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 26, 2023
Observation date: Sep 24, 2023
Submitted by: Michelleb2462
Region: Douglas County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 25, 2023
Observation date: Sep 15, 2023
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 23, 2023
Observation date: Sep 19, 2023
Submitted by: Don Atkinson-Adams
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 21, 2023
Observation date: Sep 16, 2023
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 21, 2023
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