Red-Banded Hairstreak

Posted by Earnest (Oklahoma, United States) on 3 May 2008 in Animal & Insect and Portfolio.

While walking through a greening prairie I was surrounded by hundreds of hairstreak butterflies, some light gray with bluish upper wings and some like this one that were dark gray. I've tentatively identified this guy as a red-banded hairstreak. About half the size of the familiar gray hairstreak, they seemed to like sitting in the sand.

I hope you enjoyed the viewing... Have a great day!