Red-Banded Hairstreak in the Briar Patch

There is so much air traffic in the Birds & Blooms in the Briar Patch, leaving you wishing that your head could swivel 360 degrees, and new, not yet introduced butterflies enter, sample and exit the tens of thousands of nectar-dripping flowers. Lots of them are large. Swallowtails, Fritillaries, Hackberrys, Monarchs, Painted Ladies are all noticeable, and Jeff’s eyes acknowledge their comings and goings. All purposeful, nectar seekers, mate hunters, and territory claimers.

At the southern section there, a line of giant Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia) does just about what the nearby Publix Markets does. It was there that my eyes registered something a-flight, a tiny butterfly, and, and, there was that red band, that gorgeous red band. Red-banded Hairstreak!! Approach, approach, good, still there. Technique positioning, good. Is it fresh? Yes! I Love this butterfly. Calycopis cecrops. The red band is edged outwardly in white, it has 2 pairs of tiny tails and the blue patch at the hindwing edge is baby blue. This is one tiny, neat butterfly. Striped legs, orange tipped antennae, and those pookie eyes, bordered in white.

Eatonton, Georgia, and a dandy of a hairstreak. A tiny looker, for sure.

Jeff

3 thoughts on “Red-Banded Hairstreak in the Briar Patch”

This is a stunning photograph. You could almost get lost in the lush green… It’s really nice.

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Magnificent little butterfly – I do so love the blues and hope to get better at identifying them and other tiny ones like the skippers. Trails and meadows are calling me. This spring I am going to improve my little wildflower meadow, clearing more brush and saplings back around the edges to enlarge it, and have already started winter sowing more of the native nectar fountains to add to it’s diversity! It is a damp meadow, so I can plant more of the ones who thrive with wet feet ! Patches of turtleheasd, cardinal flowers, swamp milkweed, scarlet monardas, and too many others to name.
Volunteers are welcome – will even provide two room tent, fire ring, firewood, picnic table, folding chairs, bug spray, spring fed well water in exchange . And free access to hike logging trails and deer paths on 17+ acres of woodland in search of wildlife and wildflowers galore. Who could ask for more!

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