Acadian Hairstreak
Satyrium acadica (W.H. Edwards, 1862)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: One tail on each hindwing. Upperside brown-gray. Underside of hindwing gray; blue marginal spot is capped with orange; row of orange submarginal spots capped with black; round black spots form postmedian row.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: Males perch on low vegetation near host plants to watch for females. Eggs are laid on twigs and hatch the next spring; caterpillars eat leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various willow species including black willow (Salix nigra) and silk willow (Salix sericea).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers including butterflyweed, meadowsweet, milkweeds, New Jersey tea, and thistles.
Habitat: Willow-lined streams, marshes, moist woodlands.
Range: British Columbia east to Nova Scotia; south to Idaho, Colorado, the upper Midwest, Maryland, and New Jersey.
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
Alternate Scientific Names:
Satyrium acadicum
Pollinator Week was June 20-26, 2022!
Butterflies and moths are accidental pollinators of many flowering plants. While most species do not have special structures to carry pollen, they do brush against pollen and transfer it to other flowers.
Did you know? The Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas) flies close to the ground and uses its short proboscis to probe flowers of wild strawberry, white sweet clover, and other low-lying plants.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 853 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 22, 2018
Submitted by: johanncousinard
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Apr 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: Nickajacket
Region: Cherry County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Sep 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: jim8435wisc
Region: Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Sep 20, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: Chris Blomme
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 10, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 04, 2021
Submitted by: Rickyd76
Region: Stanley County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 29, 2021
Submitted by: Birderbobt51
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 30, 2021
