Chlorostrymon simaethis
Encyclopedia
The Silver-banded Hairstreak (Chlorostrymon simaethis) is a North
and South America
n butterfly
in the family Lycaenidae
. It is also known as St. Christopher's Hairstreak and the Key Lime Hairstreak.
The Amethyst Hairstreak is smaller. The upper side of the male is dark, vivid, purplish-blue. The upper side of the female is bright blue with dark fore wing apexes. The underside of the fore wing lacks the silver band. The hind wing has a silver band but it does not stretch across the entire wing. The hind wings have two pairs of tails.
s, desert
s, and hammock
edges. It is found in these habitats only if its host plants are nearby.
and from June to December in southern Texas
. It is seen from March to June and again from October to mid-November in southern Arizona
. It will occasionally stray to southern California
in October.
These butterflies, which I'm sure is not mentioned, are usually a very pretty light-green, with a white streak along the top of the wing. Some say this butterfly is a blue to a light brown, but that is definitely not true. Some other hairstreaks may be a light blue to a light brown, but not the silver-banded hairstreak.
singly on the young fruits of the host plant. The eggs are shiny green. The caterpillar
lives inside the seed pod of the host plant and feeds on the unripe seeds. The caterpillar is yellowish-green to a brownish color. It has dark, wavy dorsal and subdorsal lines. There is a dark greenish middorsal stripe edged on each side with red ovals. The head is tan. The caterpillar will turn red just before pupating. The chrysalis is tan to grayish-brown with a gray middorsal stripe. It is covered in black and brown spots. It is attached to a surface by a silk pad and girdle. The Silver-banded Hairstreak has 2-3 broods per year.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
in the family Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
. It is also known as St. Christopher's Hairstreak and the Key Lime Hairstreak.
Description
The upper side of the wings is dark, iridescent purple in males. Females are grayish-brown, sometimes having iridescent purple on the basal area of the wings. The underside of the wings is bright, lime green in both sexes. Both wings have a bright silvery-white postmedian band. The silver band on the hind wing juts out towards the margin and turns back in, forming a "V" shape. Beyond this band, there is a dark brownish-red patch with a variable amount of silvery-white frosting. The frosting extends across the entire edge of the hind wing. The hind wings have one pair of tails. The wingspan ranges from 2.2 to 3.2 cm.Similar species
The Amethyst Hairstreak (Chlorostrymon maesites) is the only similar species in the Silver-banded Hairstreak's range.The Amethyst Hairstreak is smaller. The upper side of the male is dark, vivid, purplish-blue. The upper side of the female is bright blue with dark fore wing apexes. The underside of the fore wing lacks the silver band. The hind wing has a silver band but it does not stretch across the entire wing. The hind wings have two pairs of tails.
Habitat
The Silver-banded Hairstreak is found in habitats such as subtropical woodlandWoodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s, desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s, and hammock
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
edges. It is found in these habitats only if its host plants are nearby.
Flight period
The Silver-banded Hairstreak is seen from May to December in southern FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and from June to December in southern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It is seen from March to June and again from October to mid-November in southern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. It will occasionally stray to southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in October.
These butterflies, which I'm sure is not mentioned, are usually a very pretty light-green, with a white streak along the top of the wing. Some say this butterfly is a blue to a light brown, but that is definitely not true. Some other hairstreaks may be a light blue to a light brown, but not the silver-banded hairstreak.
Life cycle
The female lays her eggsEgg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
singly on the young fruits of the host plant. The eggs are shiny green. The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
lives inside the seed pod of the host plant and feeds on the unripe seeds. The caterpillar is yellowish-green to a brownish color. It has dark, wavy dorsal and subdorsal lines. There is a dark greenish middorsal stripe edged on each side with red ovals. The head is tan. The caterpillar will turn red just before pupating. The chrysalis is tan to grayish-brown with a gray middorsal stripe. It is covered in black and brown spots. It is attached to a surface by a silk pad and girdle. The Silver-banded Hairstreak has 2-3 broods per year.
Host plants
Here is a list of host plants used by the Silver-banded Hairstreak:- Cardiospermum halicacabumCardiospermum halicacabumCardiospermum halicacabum, known as the Balloon plant or Love in a puff, is a climbing plant widely distributed in tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia...
– Balloon Vine - Cardiospermum corindum – Faux Persil
- Eupatorium villosum – Florida Keys Thoroughwort