California

Hairstreak

Satyrium californica

Size: 1.0 - 1.25 inches wingspan

​

Key ID features:  Dark gray-brown above. Below, lighter gray-brown with median black spot band lightly edged with white. On HW below, black v-shaped spot next to blue patch below tail. HW and FW below with submarginal band of black lines edged outwardly with orange. 

​

Similar species: Sylvan HS is generally more lightly marked, lacks the black V-shaped spot next to the blue HW patch (checkmark or dash instead), and orange halos only on two or three submarginal crescents on HW.

Host plant: Primarily Purshia tridentata (Antelope bitterbrush) and Ceanothus velutinus (Snowbrush).

​

Habitat: Buckbrush scrub, oak woodlands, canyons. ​

​

Range: East slope of Cascades, most of SE and SW Oregon, Wallowa Mtns.

​

Season: Early May to early September

​

Abundance: Common

Conservation Status: Secure