North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Butterflies of Northern Mexico

Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon rufofusca)
JPG -- species photo

Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon rufofusca [Hewitson])

Wing span: 1 - 1 1/8 inches (2.5 - 2.9 cm).

Identification: One tail on hindwing. Upperside brown. Underside gray; hindwing postmarginal line red-orange, broken into dashes.

Life history: Eggs are laid singly on flower buds of the host plant.

Flight: In July and from October-December in South Texas; throughout the year in the tropics.

Caterpillar hosts: Malvastrum coromandelianum (family Malvaceae) in Mexico.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Open pastures and weedy fields.

Range: Argentina north through Central America and Mexico to South Texas.

Conservation: Not necessary for rare 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: Not 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.

Red-crescent Scrub-Hairstreak (Strymon rufofusca)
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