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 625 - 648 of 7147 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 12, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Kern County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: Monarchs_and_Friends
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 13, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jun 16, 2021
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 06, 2021
Submitted by: mellielong
Region: Hillsborough County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Thurston County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jul 11, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 10, 2021
Observation date: Jul 08, 2021
Submitted by: Bozcool
Region: Alameda County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 08, 2021
Observation date: Jul 03, 2021
Submitted by: D Pederson
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 07, 2021
Observation date: Jul 02, 2021
Submitted by: sarabseth
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 05, 2021
Observation date: Jul 01, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 30, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 27, 2021
Submitted by: rfaskins
Region: Richland County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 01, 2021
Observation date: Jun 18, 2021
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021
Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: hiker96
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 28, 2021
Observation date: Aug 12, 2020
Submitted by: kzmmrmn
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 27, 2021
Observation date: Jun 14, 2021
Submitted by: UncleV
Region: Collin County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 26, 2021
Observation date: Jun 20, 2021
Submitted by: Jess D
Region: Paulding County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 22, 2021
Observation date: Apr 24, 2021
Submitted by: D Grimes
Region: Brooks County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Jun 15, 2021
Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jun 12, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: Justme
Region: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Jun 11, 2021
Observation date: Jun 26, 2020
Submitted by: cjbruchman
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
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