GRAY AND BANDED hairstreakS
Gray Hairstreaks often feed head downward. The red eyespots near the tails are a false "head" meant to deflect bird attacks. These tails might represent false antennae, further meant to create the illusion of a false head.
This butterfly is a Banded Hairstreak. They are fairly common in our area, but not quite as common as the Gray Hairstreak.
Gray Hairstreak butterfly. This is our most common hairstreak species.
This Gray Hairstreak butterfly was basking in the sun. Gray Hairstreaks seldom rest with their wings open. It takes a bit of luck to photograph them like this.
Banded Hairstreaks are very fond of milkweed flowers. Probably 90 - 95% of the Banded Hairstreaks I see are nectaring on milkweed.
This Banded Hairstreak was found at Lake Loramie, a little north of Dayton. In our area, I have seen this species at many locations, including Cox Arboretum, Spring Valley Wildlife Area, Caesar Creek, Germantown MetroPark, several of the Beaver Creek Wetlands, and Sugarcreek MetroPark.
Banded Hairstreaks have a limited flight period. I only see them in June and early July.
I have seen Gray Hairstreaks as early as April, but they are much more common in late summer and fall.
Gray Hairstreaks can linger well into November, weather permitting. This late-season Gray Hairstreak was photographed on November 3, 2024, at Otto Armleder Park near Cincinnati.