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 649 - 672 of 7148 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: LauraSea
Region: Nassau County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jun 09, 2021
Observation date: Jun 05, 2021
Submitted by: jhintermeister
Region: Santa Clara County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 07, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 07, 2021
Observation date: May 26, 2021
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Benton County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
Observation date: May 23, 2021
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 04, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2021
Submitted by: lilkriskattn
Region: Texas, Montague County, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 03, 2021
Observation date: May 23, 2021
Submitted by: CaraLundquist
Region: Denton County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Jun 03, 2021
Observation date: May 28, 2021
Submitted by: NaturallyWade
Region: McCormick County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 31, 2021
Observation date: May 14, 2021
Submitted by: voodoofish
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 16, 2021
Observation date: Mar 28, 2021
Submitted by: billd
Region: Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 15, 2021
Observation date: May 09, 2021
Submitted by: Birder2
Region: Sherman County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 10, 2021
Observation date: May 09, 2021
Submitted by: camflies
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: May 03, 2021
Submitted by: JudyLY
Region: Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: May 07, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 08, 2021
Observation date: May 07, 2021
Submitted by: sgensits
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: May 07, 2021
Observation date: May 04, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 05, 2021
Observation date: May 03, 2021
Submitted by: BillBradford
Region: Multnomah County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 04, 2021
Observation date: Aug 03, 2013
Submitted by: DVL
Region: Charlotte County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 27, 2021
Submitted by: weflybye
Region: Mason County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 28, 2021
Observation date: Apr 24, 2021
Submitted by: Luna-Linuche.76
Region: Wasco County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 27, 2021
Observation date: Apr 24, 2021
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 25, 2021
Observation date: Apr 21, 2021
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 22, 2021
Observation date: Apr 17, 2021
Submitted by: Ben Meredyk
Region: Whitman County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Apr 20, 2021
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