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Banded Hairstreak
Satyrium calanus
At-a-Glance
• Flight Period: June and July
• Wings: 3 - 3.7 cm
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Description
Hairstreaks get their name from "hair-like" tails that extend from their hindwings. An "eye spot" of red or blue usually accompanies the tails. This tail is thought to function as a protective device that fools predators into thinking it is the antennae or head of the butterfly.
Habitat and Habits
The banded hairstreak inhabits oak woods and woodland edges. It is found throughout Ohio and is most common in forested regions. Like many of our hairstreaks, the banded spends most of its adult life high in the tops of large oak trees. They come down to nectar for an hour or two early in the morning and again in the late afternoon. Their favorite nectar flower is white dogbane.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
The banded hairstreak experiences occasional population explosions with thousands of individual adults, but the following summer only a few adults are found in the same area. These population explosions are being tracked in Ohio to see if a cause can be found. |
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