Early Hairstreak
Erora laeta
Description
3/4-1" (19-25 mm). Tailless. Above, steel-blue with black tips and margins; male less blue than female. Below, bluish-green with broken row of reddish, white-rimmed spots; white fringes sparsely orange-dusted.
Life Cycle
Unrecorded. Beech (Fagus) and hazelnut (Corylus) are suspected
host plants.
Flight
1 brood; March in South through late May-late June northward, partial 2nd brood in August.
Habitat
Edges of mature beech-maple woods, dirt roads and shaded patches among woodlands, mature deciduous forests in Canada.
Range
Michigan through E. Canada and New England, south in Appalachians to S. Carolina.
Discussion
Few North American butterflies have attracted as much attention as this rare species, whose habits are shrouded in mystery. Although classic lore places Early Hairstreaks in mature beech forests, not all habitats conform, and individuals appear from time to time in varied wooded sites. The Early Hairstreak may turn out to be far less rare than its reputation suggests once its behavior is fully known. Adults will alight on bare ground, at times remaining so still that they may be trod upon by the unwary. It is possible that Early Hairstreaks live high in the woodland canopy, descending within viewing range only occasionally.
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