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

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