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Sylvan Hairstreak

Satyrium sylvinus

The Sylvan Hairstreak is a small, colorful butterfly with beautiful blue and orange patterns on its wings. It loves to flutter around in sunny spots, especially near trees and flowers.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Sylvan Hairstreak has brownish-gray wings on top, with a lighter underside featuring a distinct white line, often edged with orange, running across its hindwings. It also typically sports small, dark eyespots and delicate "tails" near its hindwing margins. This combination helps it stand out from plainer brown butterflies.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderLepidopteraFamilyLycaenidaeGenusStrymon
Sylvan Hairstreak
solitary trait badgecamouflaged trait badgecolorful trait badgeherbivorous trait badge
Sylvan Hairstreak

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

2

Interesting facts

Instead of just flowers, adults sometimes sip sweet tree sap for a sugary treat!

Look closely! This butterfly often "rubs" its hindwings together, making its fake antennae wiggle.

Sylvan Hairstreak caterpillars love to munch on willow leaves before they transform.

The tiny "tails" on its wings might distract predators, helping the butterfly escape danger!

Special abilities

Ability

False Head Deception

Sylvan Hairstreak has fake antennae and an eyespot on its hindwings that helps them trick predators into attacking the wrong end.

Ability

Sylvan Camouflage

Sylvan Hairstreak has cryptic wing patterns that helps them blend seamlessly into their leafy habitat to hide from hungry birds.

Ability

Agile Aerial Dance

Sylvan Hairstreak can perform quick, erratic flight maneuvers that helps them evade capture from fast-flying insect predators.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
25-35 mm
Size
10-15 mm
Lifespan
45-75 days
Flight Speed
10 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Larvae munch leaves, while adults sip sweet nectar and tree sap.

Age differences: Larvae feed exclusively on host plant leaves, while adults consume liquid foods like nectar and sap.

Primary Foods

  • Willow leaves
  • Tree sap
  • Flower nectar
  • Honeydew

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always watch butterflies from a distance and be gentle if you want to look closer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Sylvan Hairstreak?

The easiest way to identify Sylvan Hairstreak is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

What is Sylvan Hairstreak's wingspan?

25-35 mm

How big is Sylvan Hairstreak?

10-15 mm

How long does Sylvan Hairstreak live?

45-75 days

How fast can Sylvan Hairstreak fly?

10 km/h

What does Sylvan Hairstreak eat?

Larvae munch leaves, while adults sip sweet nectar and tree sap.

Where is Sylvan Hairstreak usually found?

Forests

How does Sylvan Hairstreak hunt?

Foraging

Snap Map

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