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| Red-banded Hairstreak |
Latin
Name: Calycopis cecrops |
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Genus: Calycopis Species: cecrops |
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Comments: |
| The Red-banded Hairstreak has a rapid, erratic flight. Males typically perch on sunlit leaves of shrubs or small trees (often on their hosts) and readily interact with other individuals, often spiraling high into the air before returning to a nearby perch. Unlike most other butterflies, female Red-banded Hairstreaks do not lay eggs directly on the larval host. Instead, they land on the ground below appropriate hosts and deposit the small eggs singly on underside of dead, fallen leaves or other debris. The resulting young larvae must crawl a considerable distnace up the trunk of the plant in order to reach growing leaves. |
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Life
Cycle: |
Broods: |
multiple generations |
Egg: |
cream brown, laid on dead leaves below host |
Larva: |
pinkish brown with numerous short hairs |
Host Plants: |
feeds on dead plant material; associated with various trees including Wax Myrtle, Winged Sumac and Mango |
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Host
Plants: |
Host
Plants: |
feeds on dead plant material; associated with various trees including Wax Myrtle, Winged Sumac and Mango |
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Habitat: |
Habitat: |
woodland edges and adjacent disturbed, brushy areas, suburban gardens |
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Wingspan: |
Inches: |
.75 - 1 |
Centimeters: |
1.9 - 2.5 |
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Appearance: |
Sexes: |
similar, although female has metallic blue scaling above |
Compare: |
Southern Hairstreak lacks complete red hindwing band. |
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| Markings: |
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Above:
- male is slate gray above with no markings; female is slate gray with iridescent blue on hindwing; hindwing bears two short tails
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Below:
- light gray with broad, red hindwing band outlined on one side by a thin, wavy white line; blue scaling and a black eyespot near tails
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Map Legend: Resident (green) | Stray
(Red) |
