Banded Hairstreak

Satyrium calanus

banded hairstreak


The photograph to the right was my first encounter with any of the Hairstreaks in Crex Meadows.

This would be my only shot of a Hairstreak in 2007.

The location was at the very end of Cranberry Dike Road before they logged the forest area.

2008 would bring many sighting of these guys and other Hairstreaks in Crex Meadows.

The Banded Hairstreak characteristic which allows for the easiest identification is on the forewing spotting.

The Banded Hairstreak has rectangles on the underside of the forewing that are topped with white and almost always line up in a row.

Picture on right taken June 20, 2007

banded hairstreak3


Wing span: 1 - 1 1/2 inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm).

Caterpillar hosts: Many species of oak (Quercus), walnut (Juglans), and hickory (Carya).

Eggs are laid on twigs of the host during the summer, and hatch the following spring.

Habitat: Forest areas and neighboring open edges and fields.

Picture on left taken July 9, 2008


The picture below was taken July 15, 2008 and shows a more worn Banded Hairstreak. The rectangles are begining to fade.


bandedHairstreak4




Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Superclass Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Subclass Pterygota (Winged Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies)
Family Lycaenidae(Gossamer Winged Butterflies)
Subfamily Theclinae (Hairstreak)
Genus Satyrium
Species calanus(Banded Hairstreak)


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