About Strymon acadica (Edwards, 1862)
Satyrium acadica, commonly known as the Acadian hairstreak, is a butterfly belonging to the family Lycaenidae. This species is distributed across North America, ranging from British Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia, and southward to Idaho, Colorado, the northern Midwest, Maryland, and New Jersey. The wingspan of adult Acadian hairstreaks measures 29 to 38 mm. Similar to other hairstreak butterflies, each hindwing of this species has two tails near its tip. The shorter upper tail is very small, and often does not appear tail-like at all. The upperside of the wings is brown-grey, while the underside of the hindwings is grey. Adults have one generation per year, and are active on the wing from June to August. Adult Acadian hairstreaks feed on flower nectar from a variety of flowering plants, including butterflyweed, milkweeds, and thistles. The larvae of this species feed on the leaves of willow (Salix) species, specifically including black willow (Salix nigra) and silky willow (Salix sericea). The Acadian hairstreak overwinters in the egg stage of its life cycle.
