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White M Hairstreak

  • Family name: Lycaenidae/Gossamer Wings
  • General description: Male iridescent blue with broad black borders; forewing with gray stigma. Female black with blue scaling limited to wing bases. Ventral hindwing gray-brown with two short tails, a red postmedian spot, a small white spot along leading margin, and a jagged white postmedian line forming the letter “M”
  • Field Marks: small; ventral hindwing with a red postmedian spot, a small white spot along leading margin, and a jagged white postmedian line forming the letter “M”
  • Sexes: appear different
  • Wingspan: 25-32 mm
  • Life Cycle: Egg: whitish, flattened, laid singly on host leaves or buds Mature larva: green to maroon Chrysalis: mottled brown
  • Number of Generations: Three or more
  • Flight Season: March -November
  • Abundance: Common
  • Habitat: oak woodlands, forest margins and clearings, roadsides
  • Counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, De Soto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington
  • Larval Host Plants: oaks (Quercus spp.)
  • Similar Species: No similar species
  • Additional Information: Adults often seen at flowers alongside other similar hairstreaks

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