White-M Hairstreak
Parrhasius m-album (Boisduval & Leconte, 1833)
White-M Hairstreak: https://www.marylandbiodiversity.org/species/528
Synonyms
Hodges #4335 
Tags

Map Snapshot

211 Records

GAALWAFRCLMOHOBABCHACEPGAACVCHSMKEQACNTADOWISOWO

Status

The White-M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album), with its relatively large size, and its seldom seen, brilliant blue upperside, is an interesting and unusual representative of the Maryland Lycaenidae. The genus Parrhasius is actually largely tropical in distribution. This species, which has been expanding northward in recent years (Glassberg 1999), occurs statewide. This butterfly flies from late April, and again in August to September (two or three broods) (Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Summary and Checklist by Lynn Davidson & Richard Smith).

Description

The White-M Hairstreak is named for the prominent white 'M' marking on the hindwing. There is also a small reddish spot adjacent to the M, and a diagnostic isolated white spot near the leading edge of the hindwing. The uppersides of the wings, normally visible only in flight, or when it briefly opens them while basking, are a vivid, brilliant blue (Brock & Kaufman, 2003).

Where To Find

Edges and openings in oak forests. Often seen nectaring at flowers along roadsides through forest.

Relationships

White-M Hairstreak uses various oaks (Quercus) as larval hosts. In West Virginia, it frequently uses White Oak (Quercus alba) (Allen 1997).

Resources

View at iNaturalist Search Google Images Search MBP Facebook posts
View images at BugGuide

Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

Source: Wikipedia

Parrhasius m-album
Secure
Secure (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Parrhasius
Species:
P. m-album
Binomial name
Parrhasius m-album

Parrhasius m-album, or the white M hairstreak, is a species of butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the United States from western Connecticut to southeast Iowa, southern Missouri to east Texas, the Gulf Coast, and peninsular Florida. On rare occasions some stray to Michigan and Wisconsin.[2]

The wings are often iridescent near the bottom. The females are larger than the males in this species. The wingspan of Parrhasius m-album is 32–41 mm.

The larvae feed on Quercus virginiana and other Quercus species. the larvae appear a light green color.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0 Parrhasius m-album White-m Hairstreak". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  2. ^ Opler, Paul A.; Harry Pavulaan; Ray E. Stanford; Michael Pogue; coordinators (2006). "Parrhasius m-album". Big Sky Institute. Archived from the original on 2010-09-06. Retrieved 2009-03-09.