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 3266 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 23, 2026
Submitted by: commentator
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 02, 2026
Observation date: Jul 24, 2026
Submitted by: Christine Stanke
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2026
Observation date: Jul 26, 2026
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 26, 2026
Observation date: Jul 10, 2026
Submitted by: Rgilson
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 03, 2026
Submitted by: Bowbender
Region: Ashland County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jul 06, 2026
Submitted by: dchartier
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 11, 2026
Observation date: Jun 19, 2026
Submitted by: LittleWoodSatyr
Region: Defiance County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jun 20, 2026
Observation date: Jun 19, 2026
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2026
Observation date: Jun 19, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 19, 2026
Observation date: May 19, 2026
Submitted by: Rgilson
Region: Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 19, 2026
Observation date: May 07, 2026
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: May 02, 2026
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: St. Louis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: Ozark_Bill
Verified date: May 06, 2026
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: acb22
Region: Houghton County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Apr 20, 2026
Observation date: Apr 27, 2020
Submitted by: Jonathan Clark
Region: La Salle Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Jun 06, 2020
Submitted by: schaarschmidt
Region: DeKalb County, Alabama, United States
Verified by: Alex Stach
Verified date: Apr 01, 2026
Observation date: Jun 25, 2022
Submitted by: Graycatbird88
Region: Orange County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Mar 20, 2026
Observation date: Jun 30, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Allegan County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 17, 2026
Observation date: Jun 16, 2025
Submitted by: casemar1
Region: Shiawassee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jul 31, 2025
Submitted by: dkBirder
Region: Calhoun County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jun 24, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Montcalm County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jun 24, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Montcalm County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: talusrutgers
Verified date: Mar 16, 2026
Observation date: Jul 17, 2025
Submitted by: Bob Jacobson
Region: Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Feb 05, 2026
Observation date: Jul 18, 2025
Submitted by: Col
Region: Erie County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Sep 05, 2025
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: actuallyamagpie
Region: Hamilton County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 31, 2025
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