The Red Banded Hairstreak is a medium-sized butterfly found in parts of the southeastern and eastern United States. It is known for its clean and understated coloration. The underside of the wings is light gray brown, crossed by a red or orange band edged with a thin white line that spans both forewings and hindwings. The width and intensity of the band can vary. Near the double tails, there is a small blue spot and at least one black eyespot. The upperside differs by sex. Males are slate gray with no markings, while females are gray with iridescent blue scaling that is often visible in flight.
“Red-banded Hairstreak” by John Brandauer, licensed under (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Red-banded Hairstreak Facts
Butterfly Family: Gossamer-Winged (Lycaenidae)
Butterfly Subfamily: Theclinae
Butterfly Wingspan: 7/8 – 1 3/8 inches
Butterfly Habitat: Woodland edges, thickets, hedgerows, open forests, and areas with abundant leaf litter from native shrubs and trees (especially sumacs, oaks, and wax myrtle)
🪴 Host Plants
Females lay eggs on the ground near these native woody plants that produce the fallen, decaying leaves caterpillars feed on:
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Dwarf Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
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Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
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Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
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Wax Myrtle (Morella cerifera)
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Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
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Various Oaks (Quercus spp.)
🌸 Nectar Plants
Adult Red-banded 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)