North American Butterflies and Moths List

The definitive website on wildbirds & nature

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Northern Mexico

Black Hairstreak (Ocaria ocrisia)

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Black Hairstreak (Ocaria ocrisia [Hewitson])

Wing span: 7/8 - 1 inch (2.2 - 2.5 cm).

Identification: Upper surface charcoal black to charcoal gray with narrow blue edging on hindwing.

Life history: Not reported.

Flight: One flight in South Texas in early November; throughout the year in Central America.

Caterpillar hosts: Flowers of Paullinia in Brazil; live oak in Costa Rica.

Adult food: Not reported.

Habitat: Disturbed tropical sites at low to moderate elevations.

Range: Argentina north to Mexico. One stray recorded in South Texas.

Conservation: Not required for rare tropical stray.

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 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.

Author: Jane M. Struttmann

State and Regional References:

Opler, Paul A. 1999. Peterson Field Guide to Western Butterflies, revised 
     edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Mass.

Stanford, R.E. and P.A. Opler. 1993. Atlas of Western USA Butterflies. 
     Privately published, Denver, Colo.

Black Hairstreak (Ocaria ocrisia)

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