Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak
Satyrium tetra (W.H. Edwards, 1870)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: One short hindwing tail on males, long tail on female hindwing; may be missing. Upperside brown-gray. Underside is olive-gray with ashy overlay. Postmedian line white; sometimes faint or absent. Spot near tail is gray-blue.
Wing Span: 1 - 1 1/4 inches (2.5 - 3.2 cm).
Life History: Males perch on hilltop shrubs or valley host plants to watch for females. Eggs are laid on twigs or leaves, singly or in small groups. Eggs hibernate until spring; caterpillars eat leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus) in the rose family (Rosaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from wild buckwheat and others.
Habitat: Mixed woodlands, chaparral.
Range: Southern Oregon and California west of the deserts through San Diego County into Baja California Norte; in the Carson Range of western Nevada.
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 192 verified sightings

Observation date: Jun 01, 2022
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 29, 2022

Observation date: Jul 02, 2022
Submitted by: Zencoyote
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 03, 2022

Observation date: Jun 18, 2022
Submitted by: Seth Mueller
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2022

Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2021

Observation date: Jun 19, 2021
Submitted by: falco1
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2021

Observation date: Jun 12, 2021
Submitted by: jspaulding
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 14, 2021

Observation date: Jun 05, 2017
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: San Mateo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 17, 2021

Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 09, 2020

Observation date: Jul 29, 2020
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Modoc County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 01, 2020

Observation date: Jul 14, 2020
Submitted by: Thomlinson
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 16, 2020

Observation date: Jun 30, 2020
Submitted by: butterflies4us
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 01, 2020

Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2020

Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Brynne Bryan
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2019

Observation date: May 29, 2015
Submitted by: jrfleullan
Region: Stanislaus County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 27, 2019

Observation date: Jun 01, 2018
Submitted by: Lisahug
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 01, 2018

Observation date: Jul 02, 2017
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2017

Observation date: Jun 08, 2016
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 21, 2016

Observation date: Jul 09, 2016
Submitted by: dharlette
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2016

Observation date: Jul 09, 2016
Submitted by: dharlette
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 13, 2016

Observation date: Jul 03, 2016
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 06, 2016

Observation date: Jun 23, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 25, 2016

Observation date: Jun 18, 2016
Submitted by: John Koerner
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2016

Observation date: Jun 18, 2016
Submitted by: Nancy Hamlett
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 20, 2016

Observation date: May 18, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 22, 2016
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