''Satyrium calanus'', the banded hairstreak, is a

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

in the family

Lycaenidae Lycaenidae is the second-largest family (biology), family of butterflies (behind Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies), with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of ...

Appearance, behavior, and distribution

The banded hairstreak is a common hairstreak east of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

in North America. It is a territorial butterfly that will challenge other butterflies invading its territory.

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically: *''S. c. albidus'' Scott, 1981 *''S. c. calanus'' *''S. c. falacer'' (Godart,

824 __NOTOC__ Year 824 ( DCCCXXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By date * February 8 – The Tenchō era begins in Japan at the beginning of the reign of the Emperor Junna, bringing an end to the ...

*''S. c. godarti'' (Field, 1938)

Life cycle

Eggs are laid singly on the host plants and hatch in the spring. There is a single brood that flies early June to late August.

Host plants

Host plants include oak, hickory, and walnut (especially butternut).

Similar species

* Edwards' hairstreak (''S. edwardsii'') * Hickory hairstreak (''S. caryaevorum'')

References

External links

Banded hairstreak
Butterflies of Canada Satyrium (butterfly) Butterflies of North America Butterflies described in 1809 {{Eumaeini-stub