The Oak Hairstreak is a very small butterfly that is rarely seen with its wings open. It can be identified by two slender tails on each hindwing and grayish brown undersides marked with a blue spot near the tails and orange shading above. A distinct black “W” edged in white sits near the inner margin of the hindwing. The upperside of the wings is brown with a small orange spot near the tails, but no blue is present. Males have a dark scent patch on the forewing.
“Oak Hairstreak – Satyrium favonius” by Christina Butler, licensed under (CC BY 2.0)
Oak Hairstreak Facts
Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
Butterfly Subfamily: Theclinae
Butterfly Wingspan: 7/8 – 1 1/2 inches
Butterfly Habitat: Oak woodlands and edges, oak hammocks in the Deep South
🪴Host Plants
These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:
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Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
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Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
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Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata)
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White Oak (Quercus alba)
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Other native oaks (Quercus spp.)
🌸 Nectar Plants
Adult Oak Hairstreak butterflies feed on nectar from the following native flowers:
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Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.)
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Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa)
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Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)
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Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
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Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
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Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
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Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
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Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)
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Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)
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Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)
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Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)
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Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum spp.)
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New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
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Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)
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Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
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Wild Quinine (Parthenium integrifolium)
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Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)