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 6933 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 21, 2024
Submitted by: pkmcp
Region: Brown County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: sasd
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 12, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: Colleen K
Region: Robertson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 11, 2024
Observation date: Apr 18, 2024
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 10, 2024
Observation date: Apr 06, 2024
Submitted by: rkw9000
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 06, 2024
Observation date: May 02, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Kleberg County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 04, 2024
Observation date: Apr 16, 2024
Submitted by: hockeybruce7
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 02, 2024
Observation date: Apr 10, 2024
Submitted by: KirstenO
Region: Austin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 02, 2024
Observation date: Apr 29, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 01, 2024
Observation date: Apr 23, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 24, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 24, 2024
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: Texas, Nueces County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 27, 2024
Submitted by: KD5NRH
Region: Erath County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 29, 2024
Observation date: Apr 17, 2024
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 20, 2024
Observation date: Apr 12, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Grundy County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Apr 16, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2024
Submitted by: Pkleinsasser
Region: Flagler County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 08, 2024
Observation date: Sep 12, 2023
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 01, 2024
Observation date: Jun 27, 2009
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Burke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Mar 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 27, 2009
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Burke County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Mar 26, 2024
Observation date: Feb 22, 2024
Submitted by: WL77
Region: Texas, McLennan County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 22, 2024
Observation date: Mar 14, 2024
Submitted by: dtibbetts@live.com
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Mar 16, 2024
Observation date: Mar 04, 2024
Submitted by: pamelmmc
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 12, 2024
Observation date: Mar 10, 2024
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 11, 2024
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