The Early Hairstreak is a rare and localized butterfly found in a narrow range extending from northern Wisconsin across southeastern Canada to Maine, and southward in scattered populations along the Appalachian Mountains. It is a small, delicate species most often encountered in deciduous or mixed hardwood forests.

The upperside of the wings is black with iridescent blue patches. In males, the blue is usually limited to the margins of the hindwings, while females display larger blue areas on both the forewings and hindwings. The underside is a soft turquoise blue, marked with two curved bands of tiny orange spots on the hindwings. Unlike many hairstreaks, the Early Hairstreak lacks tails.

 

“Early Hairstreak” by Tom Murray, licensed under (CC BY-ND-NC 1.0)

 

Early Hairstreak Facts

Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Theclinae

Butterfly Wingspan: 7/8 – 15/16 inchs

Butterfly Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woods, especially on open ridgetops and along dirt roads

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

• Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Early Hairstreak butterflies feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)

• Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

• Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)

• Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)

• Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

• Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens)

• Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)