North American Butterflies and Moths List

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Butterflies of North America

Muted Hairstreak (Electrostrymon canus)

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Muted Hairstreak (Electrostrymon canus [Druce])

Wing span: 15/16 - 1 3/16 inches (2.4 - 3.0 cm).

Identification: Two tails on the hindwing. Upperside of male orange-brown; underside tan with red postmedian line. Female not distinguishable in field from that of Ruddy Hairstreak.

Life history: Males perch on hilltop shrubs to seek receptive females.

Flight: April to January in tropical America (3 more flights).

Caterpillar hosts: In Venezuela, flowers of mango (Mangifera indica) and Psiguria racemosa.

Adult food: Flower nectar.

Habitat: Openings and edges in tropical semideciduous river forests, second growth.

Range: South Texas south through mainland tropical America to Peru.

Conservation: Any permanent U.S. populations should be protected.

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: Locate populations and protect their habitat.

References:

Neck, R.W. 1996. A field guide to butterflies of Texas. Gulf Publishing Co., 
     Houston, Texas. 323 pp.

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: Paul A. Opler

Muted Hairstreak (Electrostrymon canus)

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