Hessel's Hairstreak
Callophrys hesseli (Rawson & Ziegler, 1950)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: Two tails on hindwing. Underside blue-green; white spots surrounded by patches of red-brown. Forewing's costal white spot is set inward of the other spots in postmedian row.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/8 inch (2.5 - 2.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch at tops of host trees to seek receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on terminal growth of host tree; caterpillars eat new growth and older foliage. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: One flight in late May in New England, two flights from April-July in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) in the family Cupressaceae.
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including swamp milkweed, shadbush, sand myrtle, sweet pepperbush, highbush blueberry, buttonbush, and dogbane.
Habitat: Coastal plains swamps and stream banks, associated barrens.
Range: Southern Maine south along the Atlantic coastal plain to northern Florida on the Gulf Coast.
Conservation: Most populations are small and local. All are worthy of being conserved.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: Maintain different successional stages of white-cedar swamps and prevent loss of white-cedar stands.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 156 verified sightings
Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: May 19, 2022
Observation date: Mar 21, 2022
Submitted by: John Demko
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 07, 2022
Observation date: Apr 05, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 22, 2021
Observation date: Apr 04, 2021
Submitted by: otusasiotours
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 20, 2018
Submitted by: willstuart2001
Region: Richmond County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 07, 2020
Observation date: Jul 27, 2014
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: Georgia, Taylor County, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Sep 22, 2018
Observation date: Apr 27, 2014
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe (Mark Vukovich)
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Sep 03, 2018
Observation date: Apr 21, 2014
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 17, 2018
Observation date: May 01, 2008
Submitted by: yardbird
Region: Burlington County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Will Kerling
Verified date: Feb 29, 2016
Observation date: May 20, 2012
Submitted by: Chip Krilowicz
Region: Ocean County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: coreyhusic
Verified date: May 22, 2012
Observation date: May 25, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Whelan + Tom Murray)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 31, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Cathy + Tom Dodd)
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 15, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Dodd+Cathy Dodd)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 25, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Erik Nielsen)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 25, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard Forster)
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 26, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon#)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 15, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Dodd+Cathy Dodd)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 30, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Murray #)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 15, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Cathy + Tom Dodd)
Region: Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 08, 2001
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Dennis Peacock)
Region: Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 26, 2008
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (MBC (Steve Moore))
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 01, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Richard Walton)
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 29, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (F.Model+B.Spencer)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 16, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Brian Malcolm)
Region: Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
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