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Gray Hairstreak (Male) <a href="http://socalbutterflies.com/lycaenidae_html/gray_hairstreak.htm" rel="nofollow">http://socalbutterflies.com/lycaenidae_html/gray_hairstreak.htm</a><br />
Strymon melinus (Male)<br />
I&#039;m going to post several photos of this butterfly because initially iNaturalist suggests it could be a gray hairstreak or several other hairstreaks, however I could not find any that match some of the details of this butterfly. Here is what I see and will try to show with additional photos.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1) Has an orange stack of hair on its head<br />
2) The abdomen is orange and the thorax is blue<br />
3)The forewing has an orange border when when wings are folded<br />
4) The legs seems to be stripe at the top, but solid dark orange or brown beginning at the first joint<br />
5) The color of the hind wings are brown with very subtle darker brown bands near white fringed wings, and brown &amp; white dashes with some orange spotting interspersed. <br />
6) There are two orange dots that can seen on hind wing with a black dot near edge.<br />
<br />
<figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/103546/gray_hairstreak_male.html" title="Gray Hairstreak (Male)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/4330/103546_thumb.JPG?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=Ud2xLtZAPR7UUd%2F5ZHoBccxL%2FnI%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Gray Hairstreak (Male) See other photo<br />
Here you can see orange tuft of hair on head and brown/orange legs Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States" /></a></figure><br />
<figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/103548/gray_hairstreak_male.html" title="Gray Hairstreak (Male)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/4330/103548_thumb.JPG?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=SAuHuLk2PlnbpG2OJ4708tO%2Ba1k%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Gray Hairstreak (Male) This shows the back open wing view, it has light blue hair over a dark thorax, you can also see the orange tuft of hair on head, as well as the orange abdomen.  Again, legs look brown or orange.  Also notice a dusty gold on the upper open wing. Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States" /></a></figure><br />
<figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/103549/gray_hairstreak_male.html" title="Gray Hairstreak (Male)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/4330/103549_thumb.JPG?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=OrVqlosNBlJ2sT4KS0sBma0ip28%3D" width="200" height="118" alt="Gray Hairstreak (Male) Different angle that shows the golden spotting on the wings, the blue hair on the thorax, yellow tuft on head and orange abdomen with a darker part of the abdomen just under the thorax. Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States,Winter" /></a></figure><br />
<figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/103550/gray_hairstreak_male.html" title="Gray Hairstreak (Male)"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/4330/103550_thumb.JPG?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=lN2WlBFhE81qYRb%2FKm9zrDTqLSs%3D" width="200" height="134" alt="Gray Hairstreak (Male) This shows white hair on the ventral side and another view of the orange tuft on the head, as well as legs. Peaking out under wings is the orange abdomen edge. Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States" /></a></figure><br />
 Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States Click/tap to enlarge

Gray Hairstreak (Male)

http://socalbutterflies.com/lycaenidae_html/gray_hairstreak.htm
Strymon melinus (Male)
I'm going to post several photos of this butterfly because initially iNaturalist suggests it could be a gray hairstreak or several other hairstreaks, however I could not find any that match some of the details of this butterfly. Here is what I see and will try to show with additional photos.



1) Has an orange stack of hair on its head
2) The abdomen is orange and the thorax is blue
3)The forewing has an orange border when when wings are folded
4) The legs seems to be stripe at the top, but solid dark orange or brown beginning at the first joint
5) The color of the hind wings are brown with very subtle darker brown bands near white fringed wings, and brown & white dashes with some orange spotting interspersed.
6) There are two orange dots that can seen on hind wing with a black dot near edge.

Gray Hairstreak (Male) See other photo<br />
Here you can see orange tuft of hair on head and brown/orange legs Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States

Gray Hairstreak (Male) This shows the back open wing view, it has light blue hair over a dark thorax, you can also see the orange tuft of hair on head, as well as the orange abdomen.  Again, legs look brown or orange.  Also notice a dusty gold on the upper open wing. Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States

Gray Hairstreak (Male) Different angle that shows the golden spotting on the wings, the blue hair on the thorax, yellow tuft on head and orange abdomen with a darker part of the abdomen just under the thorax. Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States,Winter

Gray Hairstreak (Male) This shows white hair on the ventral side and another view of the orange tuft on the head, as well as legs. Peaking out under wings is the orange abdomen edge. Fall,Geotagged,Gray Hairstreak,Strymon melinus,United States

    comments (4)

  1. May come back to this one later, busy tonight. In any case, thanks for the big effort in trying to ID it accurately. With this mindset, you'll rapidly improve. And you've done so in a very short time, compliments!

    One question, when you say iNaturalist ID-ed it, do you mean their visual recognition software, or actual iNaturalist members?
    Posted 4 years ago
    1. Two of their experts identified it. I found that it is a male. Posted 4 years ago
      1. I agree on the gray hairstreak ID. Posted 4 years ago
        1. Great, ID set. Thanks for the discussion, both. Posted 4 years ago

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The gray hairstreak is one of the most common hairstreaks in North America, ranging over nearly the entire continent. It occurs also throughout Central America and in northern South America.

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies
Species identified by Ferdy Christant
View DebRich's profile

By DebRich

All rights reserved
Uploaded Oct 25, 2020. Captured Feb 7, 2012 11:07 in 846 Avant Ave, San Antonio, TX 78210, USA.
  • NIKON D5100
  • f/8.0
  • 10/1250s
  • ISO160
  • 270mm