Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Sponsor
The Coleopterists Society supports BugGuide.

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters (Lycaenidae) » Hairstreaks (Theclinae) » Eumaeini » Strymon » Gray Hairstreak - Hodges#4336 (Strymon melinus)
Photo#605444
Strymon melinus ? - Strymon melinus
Copyright © 2012 Hartmut Wisch

Strymon melinus ? - Strymon melinus
Alma Wash, Northeast Vallecito Mountains, ABDSP, San Diego County, California, USA
March 15, 2010
Looks close to larvae of the Gray Hairstreak, which appears to use many kinds of host plants.
This one is seen feeding on the spurge Ditaxis lanceolata.

Images of this individual: tag all
Strymon melinus ? - Strymon melinus Strymon melinus ? - Strymon melinus
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Hartmut Wisch on 4 January, 2012 - 1:04am
Last updated 4 January, 2012 - 12:42pm

Thanks again, David!
Moved from Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters.
… Hartmut Wisch, 4 January, 2012 - 12:42pm login or register to post comments

with Lycaenids, they tend to be variable and hard to identify
but yes, I think this is Strymon melinus. It looks correct (though very pale), and this is the only Lycaenid in that area, that I can think of off-hand that might be feeding on a Spurge. It is interesting the way they are able to blend in with almost any plant they feed on (sometimes they goof, but usually it's a pretty good match).
… David J. Ferguson, 4 January, 2012 - 9:48am login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact