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Edwards' Hairstreak
Satyrium edwardsii (Grote and Robinson, 1867)
Attributes of Satyrium edwardsiiFamily: Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Lycaenidae) Subfamily: Hairstreaks (Theclinae) Identification: One tail on the hindwing. Underside of hindwing pale brown, with postmedian band of dark brown oval spots; blue tail-spot not topped with orange. Life history: Males perch on trees to watch for females. Eggs are laid in bark crevices of young hosts. Young caterpillars eat buds during the day. Older caterpillars eat leaves at night and hide during the day in ant nests at the base of the host tree. In return for protection, the ants feed on honeydew produced by the caterpillars. Flight: One flight from June-July in the north, May-July in the south. Wing span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (3 - 3.8 cm). Caterpillar hosts: Scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia) and occasionally black oak (Q. velutina). Adult food: Nectar from various flowers including dogbane, goldenrod, meadowsweet, milkweeds, New Jersey tea, staghorn sumac, and white sweet clover. Habitat: Oak thickets in rocky open habitats including sand barrens, shale barrens, and limestone ridges. Range: Eastern United States from southern Canada and southern Maine south to northeast Texas, central Missouri, and northern Georgia. Conservation: Not usually required. NatureServe Global Status: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Management needs: None reported. | Documented Records for Satyrium edwardsii
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