Butterflies of
North America
Coral
Hairstreak
Satyrium titus
FABRICIUS, 1793
Family -
LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
THECLINAE
Tribe
-
Satyrium titus, Tennessee, USA ©
Ken Childs
Introduction
There are 64 described species in the genus
Satyrium, which has at various times been known by the
synonyms Neolycaena,
Nordmannia,
Pseudothecla and Strymonidia.
The genus occurs across the temperate, sub-arctic and subtropical
regions of the northern hemisphere.
In North America
there are 13 Satyrium species, All
have grey or brownish-grey undersides. The patterning varies
considerably from one species to another. Some species such as
californica and
titus have a row of prominent black post-median spots,
while in others these are replaced by the fine lines that give
"hairstreaks" their colloquial name. The red submarginal spots of
titus are united into a band in
favonius, but in several other
species are reduced to a single anal spot, or as in the case of
fuliginosa, are entirely absent. All
Satyrium species have earthy brown
uppersides, marked in some species with suffused patches of dull
orange.
Satyrium titus is found in southern
Canada and throughout temperate regions of the USA.
Habitats
This species is
found in a wide variety of habitats ranging from damp woodland
to hot dry canyons - almost anywhere in fact where the
foodplants grow.
Lifecycle
The eggs are
white, dome shaped, finely reticulated, with a conspicuous
micropyle. They are laid singly on twigs of bushes in the genus
Prunus ( Rosaceae ).
The
caterpillars are of the typical louse-like Thecline shape, and
are green, with a double row of dark dashes along the back, and
suffused reddish patches on the prothorax, thorax and tail end.
They feed nocturnally, retreating before dawn to the base of the
plant, where they remain during the day. They are regularly
attended by ants, which stimulate them to exude a sugary
secretion that the ants drink. In return the caterpillars gain a
degree of protection from parasitic / predatory insects that are
deterred by the ant's presence.
The chrysalis
is smooth, peanut-shaped, and pale brown on colour, marked with
tiny black dots. It is formed attached to leaf litter at the
base of the bush.
Adult behaviour
Males perch on
the foliage of bushes to await and intercept passing females.
Both sexes nectar at a wide range of flowering plants.
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