Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus (Hübner, 1818)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: One tail on hindwing. Upperside blue-gray with large red spot near tail. Underside of spring/fall form is dark gray, summer form is paler gray. Relatively straight postmedian line is white, bordered with orange on the inside edge.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Males perch all afternoon on small trees and shrubs to seek receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on flowers of host plant. Young caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits; older ones may eat leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.
Flight: Two flights from May-September in the north, three-four flights from February-November in the south.
Caterpillar Hosts: Flowers and fruits from an almost endless variety of plants; most often from pea (Fabaceae) and mallow (Malvaceae) families including beans (Phaseolus), clovers (Trifolium), cotton (Gossypium), and mallow (Malva).
Adult Food: Nectar from many flower species including dogbane, milkweed, mint, winter cress, goldenrod, tick trefoil, and white sweet clover.
Habitat: Open, nonforested sites; common in disturbed, weedy areas.
Range: Throughout continental United States from southern Canada south to Mexico; southward to Venezuela. Comments: The most widespread hairstreak in North America.
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: Caterpillars may cause economic damage to bean and cotton crops.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 337 - 360 of 7134 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 02, 2023
Submitted by: JolieElise
Region: Harris County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 04, 2023
Observation date: Aug 12, 2006
Submitted by: lizmcd
Region: Garrett County, Maryland, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Mar 15, 2023
Observation date: Mar 12, 2023
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 13, 2023
Observation date: Sep 06, 2021
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Napa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 14, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 12, 2023
Observation date: Sep 04, 2022
Submitted by: madamirie
Region: Monterey County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 12, 2023
Observation date: May 16, 2022
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Sioux County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Feb 06, 2023
Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jan 23, 2023
Observation date: Jul 20, 2022
Submitted by: Puccini
Region: Roberts County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 13, 2023
Observation date: Aug 13, 2022
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region:
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 04, 2023
Observation date: Nov 01, 2021
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Baja California Sur, Mexico
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Dec 14, 2022
Observation date: Nov 11, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 23, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2022
Observation date: Oct 30, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 07, 2022
Observation date: Oct 14, 2022
Submitted by: Blue Swallowtail
Region: Adams County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: Emily Geest
Verified date: Nov 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 12, 2022
Submitted by: bchensel
Region: Brevard County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
Observation date: Oct 27, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 01, 2022
Observation date: Oct 29, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 31, 2022
Observation date: Jun 25, 2022
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 22, 2022
Observation date: Jun 10, 2021
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 22, 2022
Observation date: Sep 06, 2022
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Oct 15, 2022
Observation date: Oct 12, 2020
Submitted by: ObserverofGod'sart
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
Observation date: Jul 21, 2020
Submitted by: ObserverofGod'sart
Region: Bexar County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 13, 2022
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