Gray Hairstreak (University of Arizona Pollinator Field Guide)

Gray Hairstreak

Strymon melinus

Who am I? ²

Hello! I am the Gray Hairstreak (A.K.A. Strymon melinus). I have to say, I am definitely not a picky eater. Both of our adults and children enjoy feeding on several types of flowers or fruits, often from the legume or mallow families. Sometimes the kids can get out of hand, though, and earn "pest" status in the eyes of commercial crop farmers. Past studies have said that we get a taste from at least 20 different families of plants... that's so many! Who knew! Certainly not us, for all we wish for is some good nectar and food!

Quick facts ²

Common name: Grey Hairstreak

Scientific name:Strymon melinus (Hübner 1818)

Family: Lycenidae - Theclinae

Characteristics:

Wing span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm)
Tail on hindwings
Upperside is blue-grey, has a red spot near tails
Underside is a true grey
Orange on top of head and tips of antennae
Male abdomen: typically orange, female: blue-grey
Underside has a white postmedian line with orange on the inside edge

Host plant: Diverse variety, frequently on plants of the family Fabaceae or Malvaceae (typically Phaseolus, Trifolium, Gossypium, and Malva)

Nectar plant: Various flowers; includes white Apiaceae, Heliotrope, dogbane, milkweed, mint, winter cress, goldenrod, tick trefoil, and white sweet clover

Distribution: Canada to Venezuela, distributed across the United States and Mexico

Flight times: (North) 2 flights from May-September, (South) 3-4 flights from February-November. See seasonality: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/50931-Strymon-melinus

Where can you find me on campus? ²

Although the Grey Hairstreak do enjoy feeding on a variety of plants, much more compared to our other pollinator friends in this guide, there are only a few observations that have been recorded of them on campus. This is either due to mismatches in when people observe them, or the observation was made but not submitted. Or! It could be they are not frequent on campus at all a due to a lack in preferred nectar and host plants...

Either way, these butterflies can usually be seen drinking nectar from one of the nectar plants above, or even hanging out near host plants looing for a mate.