Interactive Butterfly CD
Butterflies of the
Carolinas & Virginias

Striped Hairstreak,
Satyrium liparops

Size: Wingspan is 1 to 1 1/4 inch.

Similar Species:
Banded Hairstreak

Habitat: Likes woodland edges, brushy areas, found around highbush blueberry, mountain top openings. In the coastal plain around wetland forests and sunny openings.

Abundance: Rare to very rare most likely found statewide.

Flight Period: Flies from mid May until mid July. Flies later in the mountains.

Comments: This species of hairstreak is hard to find in North Carolina most years, it`s much more common further north. The host plants are wild cherry (Prunus) and blueberry (Vaccinium)

The top and bottom photos were taken along the Lumber River in Columbus Co., NC on May 17, 2003. The center photo was taken on July 06, 2003 in Bath Co., VA.

Ron Gatrelle notes:
One can always and readily tell the sex of the banded group of hairstreaks by the shape of the bar (spot) at the end of the forewing cell. In females it is always "complete" across the cell. In males it is shortened by the sex patch on the upper side of the wing - especially on the inward side of the stripe. Once you pick up on this it becomes easy. Females also have more rounded wings and longer tails. But sometimes these can be misleading or the tails are missing. I always check this spot first.

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