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
Verified Sightings
Displaying 25 - 48 of 152 verified sightings

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: Aug 04, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Carter)
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Mar 24, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S. Hartley)
Region: Bladen County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 10, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Pippen,HEL)
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Aug 06, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (D. Carter)
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 29, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Maier, C. T.)
Region: New London County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Gall, L.; Wagner, D.; O'Donnell, J.)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Anderson)
Region: Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Jul 20, 1980
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. Gifford)
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Tyrrell County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 13, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Pender County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Jul 20, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL,Pippen)
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Jul 25, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S. Hartley)
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Jul 27, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Scotland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 14, 2002
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S. Garriock)
Region: Richmond County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Aug 08, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Sampson County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 01, 1985
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (H. Pavulaan)
Region: Columbus County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 06, 1976
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (C. Gifford)
Region: Dare County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Anderson)
Region: Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 16, 1994
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (SPH)
Region: Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 13, 1996
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Bladen County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 14, 2001
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Moore County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 06, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Scotland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Apr 02, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011

Observation date: Jan 01, 1992
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Maier)
Region: New London County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Gall, L.; Wagner, D.; O'Donnell, J.)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
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