Banded Hairstreak
Satyrium calanus (Hübner, [1809])
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Hindwing has 1 long and 1 short tail. Upperside of both sexes dark brown. Underside of hindwing dark brown with postmedian band of dark dashes edged in white. Blue tail-spot not topped with orange.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch on low shrubs and tree branches during the day, watching for females. Eggs are laid on twigs of the host during the summer, and hatch the following spring. Caterpillars eat catkins and leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-August in the north, April-May in Florida.
Caterpillar Hosts: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans), and hickory (Carya).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including dogbane and common milkweed (preferred), chinquapin, small-flowered dogwood, New Jersey tea, meadowsweet, staghorn sumac, white sweet clover, and yarrow.
Habitat: Forest areas and neighboring open edges and fields.
Range: Maine across southern Canada to North Dakota; south to central Texas and the Gulf States. Southern Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico.
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: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 3241 verified sightings

Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 23, 2025

Observation date: Jul 20, 2025
Submitted by: Allison Barta
Region: Buffalo County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 21, 2025

Observation date: Jul 08, 2025
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Warren County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 11, 2025

Observation date: Jun 22, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025

Observation date: Jul 13, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 09, 2025

Observation date: Jul 04, 2025
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Clinton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 07, 2025

Observation date: Jul 03, 2025
Submitted by: DRLem23ME
Region: Kennebec County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025

Observation date: Jul 11, 2024
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 05, 2025

Observation date: Jun 25, 2025
Submitted by: chirpus
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 01, 2025

Observation date: Jun 24, 2025
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2025

Observation date: Jun 02, 2025
Submitted by: jhines0
Region: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 27, 2025

Observation date: Jun 01, 2025
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025

Observation date: Apr 26, 2025
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 09, 2025

Observation date: Jun 14, 2021
Submitted by: moollylooloo
Region: Houston County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 15, 2025

Observation date: Jun 25, 2024
Submitted by: Lydiaak
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jan 28, 2025

Observation date: Jul 14, 2023
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Jan 02, 2025

Observation date: Jun 07, 2020
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 22, 2024

Observation date: Jun 27, 2024
Submitted by: jthompson6112
Region: Sussex County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024

Observation date: Apr 25, 2022
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Hernando County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Sep 17, 2024

Observation date: Jul 16, 2024
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2024

Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: John Heneghan
Region: Kane County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 14, 2024

Observation date: Jul 03, 2024
Submitted by: garyfreed
Region: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024

Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: ravenfrank
Region: Frederick County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 09, 2024
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