Gray Hairstreak

The Lepidoptera list keeps growing though it has slowed down with the onslaught of migrant birds to spark my interest. While out at Key Biscayne down in Miami-Dade County a few weeks back I found my first Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus). This is a really common butterfly that practically covers the whole United States. Like most hairstreaks it has threadlike tails on the hindwing which were a delight to see in person. From the two pictures I managed to capture before it flew off I can't tell if it's a male or female. The male has an orange abdomen while the female sports a gray one. This butterfly feeds on the flowering parts of legumes and mallows. Hairstreaks are small butterflies but by no means are they hard to see. They also fly year around so you should keep your eye out for them next time you're taking a stroll.