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 97 - 120 of 7142 verified sightings
Observation date: Apr 13, 2020
Submitted by: Rob Williams
Region: Leon County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 14, 2025
Observation date: Jul 11, 2025
Submitted by: Daniel Morton
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 12, 2025
Observation date: Jul 07, 2025
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 08, 2025
Observation date: Jul 01, 2025
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025
Observation date: Jun 22, 2025
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 06, 2025
Observation date: Jul 01, 2025
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 04, 2025
Observation date: Oct 15, 2024
Submitted by: bentert
Region: Pima County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Jul 03, 2025
Observation date: Jun 28, 2025
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 29, 2025
Observation date: Jun 28, 2025
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 29, 2025
Observation date: Jun 18, 2025
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 21, 2025
Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: zencoyote
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 08, 2025
Observation date: Aug 19, 2024
Submitted by: Sophia Reyes
Region: Santa Cruz County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 24, 2025
Observation date: May 23, 2025
Submitted by: ezeemonee
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 24, 2025
Observation date: May 07, 2025
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 13, 2025
Observation date: May 07, 2025
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Carbon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 12, 2025
Observation date: Apr 18, 2025
Submitted by: David Sonnen
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 12, 2025
Observation date: May 01, 2025
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 02, 2025
Observation date: Apr 20, 2025
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 26, 2025
Observation date: Apr 20, 2025
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 26, 2025
Observation date: Apr 20, 2025
Submitted by: Sheilabean
Region: Texas, Tarrant County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Apr 26, 2025
Observation date: Mar 28, 2025
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Sumner County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Mar 28, 2025
Observation date: Jul 26, 2015
Submitted by: papilio1
Region: Washoe County, Nevada, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 10, 2025
Observation date: Mar 04, 2025
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 06, 2025
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