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Species Strymon istapa - Mallow Scrub Hairstreak - Hodges#4345

Representative Images

Hairstreak. - Strymon istapa Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon istapa - male butterfly - Strymon istapa Mallow Scrub Hairstreak - Strymon istapa Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon istapa Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon istapa Mallow Scrub Hairstreak - Strymon istapa Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak - Strymon istapa
Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)
Family Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters)
Subfamily Theclinae (Hairstreaks)
Tribe Eumaeini
Genus Strymon
Species istapa (Mallow Scrub Hairstreak - Hodges#4345)

Hodges Number

4345

Other Common Names

Columella Hairstreak

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Strymon columella modesta

Explanation of Names

Strymon istapa (Reakirt, [1867])

Identification

Underwing gray with 2 black spots near base of HW, prominent postmedian band, and short tails. Male has a dark patch on dorsal side of each FW. Florida individuals more boldly marked than ones in Texas. Compare with Disguised Hairstreak (S. limenia).

Range

mostly s. FL & TX / Mex. to Argentina - Map (MPG, BOA)

Habitat

Weedy openings and edges of scrub forests.

Season

March to November, but mainly August to October, with 3 to 4 broods.

Food

Larva feeds on mallows.

Remarks

After the Gray Hairstreak, this is the most common of the Scrub-Hairstreaks.
Split from the Caribean race (S. columella modesta) in 1998.

Print References

(1) (2) (3)

Internet References

Moth Photographers Groups - MPG
Butterflies of America - BOA

Works Cited

1.Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West : A Field Guide to the Butterflies of Western North America (Butterflies and Others Thr
Jeffrey Glassberg. 2001. Oxford University Press.
2.Butterflies of North America (Kaufman Focus Guides)
Jim P. Brock, Kenn Kaufman. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Co.
3.Butterflies of the East Coast : An Observer's Guide
Rick Cech, Guy Tudor. 2005. Princeton University Press.
Contributed by Alan Chin Lee on 30 August, 2004 - 9:00pm
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, tom murray, Mike Quinn
Last updated 27 February, 2018 - 4:41pm

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