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 457 - 480 of 7147 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 04, 2022
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 04, 2022
Observation date: Jul 01, 2022
Submitted by: egilley
Region: Duval County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022
Observation date: Jun 15, 2022
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 01, 2022
Observation date: Jun 06, 2022
Submitted by: jkopachena
Region: Hopkins County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 29, 2022
Observation date: Aug 26, 2021
Submitted by: c4c
Region: Botetourt County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 28, 2022
Observation date: Aug 15, 2015
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 27, 2022
Observation date: Mar 03, 2022
Submitted by: DHumphries
Region: Virginia, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jun 24, 2022
Submitted by: Team-Chick
Region: Virginia, York County, United States
Verified by: drerbium
Verified date: Jun 24, 2022
Observation date: Jun 21, 2022
Submitted by: Patti_Patamawadee
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2022
Observation date: Apr 06, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Santa Barbara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 17, 2022
Observation date: May 30, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 15, 2022
Observation date: Jun 11, 2022
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Stanislaus County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 12, 2022
Observation date: Sep 06, 2021
Submitted by: James Steen
Region: Harvey County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 10, 2022
Observation date: Jun 08, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 10, 2022
Observation date: Jun 03, 2022
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 06, 2022
Observation date: Sep 18, 2020
Submitted by: Samela95437
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 31, 2022
Observation date: May 21, 2022
Submitted by: bonfrey
Region: Socorro County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 26, 2022
Observation date: Mar 04, 2022
Submitted by: Janeal W. Thompson
Region: Prowers County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 17, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2022
Submitted by: Marta Reece
Region: Grant County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 17, 2022
Observation date: May 15, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 17, 2022
Observation date: May 10, 2022
Submitted by: robtluke@aol.com
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 15, 2022
Observation date: May 14, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: May 14, 2022
Submitted by: billd
Region: Kingfisher County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 14, 2022
Observation date: May 11, 2022
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: McIntosh County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: May 14, 2022
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