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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Butterflies and Skippers (Papilionoidea) » Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters (Lycaenidae) » Hairstreaks (Theclinae) » Eumaeini » Chlorostrymon » Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Hodges#4273 (Chlorostrymon simaethis)

Species Chlorostrymon simaethis - Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Hodges#4273

Classification · Hodges Number · Other Common Names · Explanation of Names · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · See Also · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Sliver-Banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis Pupa - Chlorostrymon simaethis Ovipositing Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis - female Ovipositing Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis - female Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis - male Silver banded hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis - male Silver-banded Hairstreak - Chlorostrymon simaethis
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 Chlorostrymon
Species simaethis (Silver-Banded Hairstreak - Hodges#4273)
Hodges Number
4273
Other Common Names
Banda de Plata
Explanation of Names
Chlorostrymon simaethis (Drury, 1773)
Size
Small hairstreak, the size of an average blue.
Identification
Underwing is green (ranging from bright lime-green to dull greenish-brown) with straight white postmedian band. Wide maroon/brown trailing edge of HW. Dorsal, male is dark purple, female gray.
Range
CA-TX, FL / W. Indies / Mex. to Argentina - Map (MPG, BOA)
Habitat
Thorn scrub, and dry woodland, usually found around balloon-vine.
Season
March to June and September to October.
Food
Caterpillars feed on immature seeds of Balloon-vines (Cardiospermum spp.). Adults feed on nectar of balloon vines and also Lantana spp. and various other plants with tiny flowers.
Life Cycle
The caterpillars, which hide within the Cardiospermum seed pods, reportedly secrete honeydew which attracts ants; the ants in tern defend the caterpillars from predators.
See Also
Amethyst Hairstreak
- Range: s. FL to W. Indies
Print References
(1) (2)
Internet References
Moth Photographers Group - MPG
Butterflies of America - BOA
NABA-South Texas - NABA
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.
Contributed by Alan Chin Lee on 5 September, 2004 - 2:05am
Additional contributions by Steve Nanz, tom murray, Joshua Stuart Rose, Mike Quinn, David Ferguson
Last updated 1 January, 2018 - 3:16pm

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