The Banded Hairstreak Butterfly
Satyrium calanus
The Banded Hairstreak Butterfly
It is most common in forested regions and like oak woods and woodland edges.
Hairstreaks get their name from hair-like tails that extend from their hind-wings. A spot of red or blue is usually near the tail.
Built in protection
It is believed that the tails fool predators in to thinking it is the antennae on the head of the butterfly. A bite out of the tail would be a lot less harmful than a missing head.
Not afraid of heights
Like many of the other hairstreak, the banded hairstreak spends most of its time high in the tops of oak trees. They come down to nectar in the morning and again in the late afternoon.
Their favorite flower is white dogbane.
A banded hairstreak on butterfly milkweed
Return from Banded Hairstreak Butterfly to Butterfly Pictures
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