Satyrium saepium

Satyrium saepium, the hedgerow hairstreak, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in western North America,[1] from British Columbia south through California into Baja California and east through northern Arizona to northern New Mexico, Colorado and Montana.

Hedgerow hairstreak
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Satyrium
Species:
S. saepium
Binomial name
Satyrium saepium
(Boisduval, 1852)[1]
Synonyms
  • Thecla saepium Boisduval, 1852
  • Strymon saepium var. okanagana McDunnough, 1944
  • Ignata illepida Johnson, 1992
  • Thecla chalcis Edwards, 1869
  • Thecla saepium var. fulvescens H. Edwards, 1877
  • Strymon saepium chlorophora Watson & Comstock, 1920
  • Strymon saepium provo Watson & Comstock, 1920
  • Satyrium saepium rubrotenebrosum Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon, 1998
  • Satyrium saepium caliginosum Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon, 1998
  • Satyrium saepium subaridum Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon, 1998
  • Satyrium saepium obscurofuscum Austin, 1998
  • Satyrium saepium latalinea Austin & Savage, 1998

The wingspan is 26–30 mm. The upperside is metallic copper brown. The forewings of the males have a black (although sometimes pale) oval spot along the leading edge. The underside is brown with a blue spot near the tail. Adults are on wing from April to September. They feed on the nectar of various flowers, including yerba santa and wild buckwheats.

The larvae feed on the buckbrush (Ceanothus species, Rhamnaceae).[2] They feed on the buds and uppersides of the leaves of their host plant.

Subspecies
  • S. s. caliginosum Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon, 1998 (California)
  • S. s. chalcis (Edwards, 1869) (California)
  • S. s. chlorophora (Watson & Comstock, 1920) (California)
  • S. s. fulvescens (H. Edwards, 1877) (California)
  • S. s. latalinea Austin & Savage, 1998 (Utah)
  • S. s. obscurofuscum Austin, 1998 (Nevada)
  • S. s. provo (Watson & Comstock, 1920) (Utah)
  • S. s. rubrotenebrosum Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon, 1998 (California)
  • S. s. subaridum Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon, 1998 (California)
  • S. s. saepium (California to British Columbia)

References
  1. Satyrium at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Hedgerow Hairstreak, Butterflies of Canada


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