Gray Hairstreak, Common Hairstreak

Identification: One tail on hindwing. Upperside blue-gray with large red spot near tail. Underside of spring/fall form is dark gray, summer form is paler gray. Relatively straight postmedian line is white, bordered with orange on the inside edge.

Caterpillar hosts: Flowers and fruits from an almost endless variety of plants; most often from pea (Fabaceae) and mallow (Malvaceae) families including beans (Phaseolus), clovers (Trifolium), cotton (Gossypium), and mallow (Malva).

Adult food: Nectar from many flower species including dogbane, milkweed, mint, winter cress, goldenrod, tick trefoil, and white sweet clover.

Habitat: Open, nonforested sites; common in disturbed, weedy areas.

Range: Throughout continental United States fr... read moreom southern Canada south to Mexico; southward to Venezuela. Comments: The most widespread hairstreak in North America.

Males perch all afternoon on small trees and shrubs to seek receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on flowers of host plant. Young caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits; older ones may eat leaves. Chrysalids hibernate.

Caterpillars may cause economic damage to bean and cotton crops.

Wing span: 7/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.2 - 3.5 cm).

As pretty as this little fellow is, the caterpillar is very destructive to farm crops. Especially, beans and hops.

Wingspan of 1 1/8",this butterfly is found from southern Canada through Mexico.