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 169 - 192 of 7131 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Lexington County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: llsweanor
Region: Sierra County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jun 26, 2024
Submitted by: naj.pilla
Region: Brule County, South Dakota, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 08, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: Benjamin Miller
Region: Knox County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 04, 2024
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 05, 2024
Observation date: Jun 25, 2024
Submitted by: jwileyrains
Region: Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 26, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 21, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Christinalea
Region: Texas, Presidio County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 19, 2024
Observation date: Jun 18, 2024
Submitted by: Carolyn Seaton
Region: Clark County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 18, 2024
Observation date: Jun 17, 2024
Submitted by: houdini73
Region: Brown County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 17, 2024
Observation date: Jun 07, 2024
Submitted by: Catherine120
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2024
Observation date: May 27, 2024
Submitted by: Anafb
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 04, 2024
Submitted by: dfagan746
Region: Deschutes County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 15, 2024
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Klamath County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 05, 2024
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: hasfitz5
Region: Texas, Randall County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 04, 2024
Observation date: May 23, 2024
Submitted by: bekkfree
Region: Cowley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 02, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
Observation date: May 11, 2024
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 01, 2024
Observation date: May 23, 2024
Submitted by: Lisa Eason
Region: Hunt County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 28, 2024
Observation date: May 18, 2024
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Jefferson County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 25, 2024
Observation date: May 22, 2024
Submitted by: seemayer
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2022
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Oct 10, 2022
Submitted by: EddieGarrity
Region: Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
Observation date: Sep 02, 2023
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: James City County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 23, 2024
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