Home › The Gossamer-Winged Butterflies › The Coral Hair-Streak

The Coral Hair-Streak

Strymon titus (Stry'mon ti'tus) PLATE XXXV, FIG. 10, II, 12 The upper surface of the wings is dark brown, with or witnout an outer marginal row of orange spots or an indistinct orange band. The discal stigma is present in the males, and the outline of the hind wings differs in the two sexes. The under surface is a soft slaty brown, sometimes tinged with violaceous; the outer half of the wings is crossed by a series of black spots encircled or bordered without with white; between these spots and the outer margin there is a series of small black lunules, which are bordered within with white and followed without by a corresponding series of reddish or orange spots. Both the black lunules and the orange or red spots may be very indistinct or wanting on the fore wings; but they are prominent on the hind wings. Expanse of wings one and one-fourth inches.

Caterpillar.--Three-fourths of an inch long, and slugshaped; its head is little and black; its body is downy and dull yellowish green; there is a "rosy patch" on the back at either end.

Food-plants. Wild cherry and plum.

In the coral hair-streak the threadlike tails are wanting, and instead the anal angle of the hind wing is prolonged and acute. The species gets its pretty name from the row of coral beadlike spots that margin the hind wing on the lower side.

The gentle Abbot describes this species as a "little brown butterfly," which, though not distinctive, is deeply satisfactory when one knows the species. It loves to visit the flowers of goldenrod and thistle, and others that blossom in the open fields, where it may bask in the hot sunshine while it is refreshing itself with nectar. It is widely distributed in the United States. It occurs in great numbers during the last of July and the first of August. It winters in the egg state and is single-brooded.