North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature




The Registry of Nature Habitats

U.S. Geological Survey


Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Michigan

Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica)
JPG -- species photo

Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica [W. H. Edwards])

Wing span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).

Identification: One tail on each hindwing. Upperside brown-gray. Underside of hindwing gray; blue marginal spot is capped with orange; row of orange submarginal spots capped with black; round black spots form postmedian row.

Life history: Males perch on low vegetation near host plants to watch for females. Eggs are laid on twigs and hatch the next spring; caterpillars eat leaves.

Flight: One flight from June-August.

Caterpillar hosts: Various willow species including black willow (Salix nigra) and silk willow (Salix sericea).

Adult food: Nectar from flowers including butterflyweed, meadowsweet, milkweeds, New Jersey tea, and thistles.

Habitat: Willow-lined streams, marshes, moist woodlands.

Range: British Columbia east to Nova Scotia; south to Idaho, Colorado, the upper Midwest, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Conservation: Not usually required.

The Nature Conservancy Global Rank: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.

Management needs: None reported.

References:

Opler, P. A. and G. O. Krizek. 1984. Butterflies east of the  Great Plains. Johns 
    Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 294 pages, 54 color plates.

Opler, P. A. and V. Malikul. 1992. A field guide to eastern  butterflies. Peterson 
    field guide #4. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,  Boston. 396 pages, 48 color plates.

Scott, J. A. 1986. The butterflies of North America. Stanford  University Press, 
    Stanford, Calif. 583 pages, 64 color plates.

Tilden, J. W. 1986. A field guide to western butterflies.  Houghton-Mifflin Co., 
    Boston, Mass. 370 pages, 23 color plates.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:

Layberry, R.A., Hall, P.W. & Lafontaine, D.J., 1998.  The Butterflies of 
     Canada.  University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON.  280 pp.

Nielsen, Mogens C., 1999.  Michigan Butterflies and Skippers: A Field Guide 
     and Reference.  Michigan State University Extension, East Lansing, MI.
     248 pp. 
     
Opler, P.A. 1998. A field guide to eastern butterflies, revised format.
     Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.     
Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica)
distribution map
map legend

Disclaimer
Return to species list
Return to Butterflies of North America main page