Great Purple Hairstreak

Atlides halesus is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Lycaenidae ( Lycaenidae ).

• 5.1 Notes and references
• 5.2 Literature

Features

Butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 32-51 mm. The front wings shimmer on top depends on the angle of incidence of light over a large area metallic turquoise, blue or green. You are edged black on the edges. In midfield, there is a sometimes indistinct dark spot. The upper side of the hind wings color corresponds essentially to the front wings. However, they show some small yellowish spots and a long, narrow and very short tails at Tornus. Eye-catching feature on the light brown to purple brown forewing underside is a long bluish strip that starts at the wing root. In this area some red spots can be seen. The brown hindwing underside is provided near the tail with several small yellowish spots. Typicaly, the color division of the abdomen, which is orange-red and blue at the top to the bottom.

Egg, caterpillar, pupa

The egg has a flat shape is colored gray white, showing a dark, depressed micropyle.

Full-grown caterpillars have a flattened, plump physique, a strong green color and are provided with indistinct reddish spots and yellowish and dark lines and short orange hair.

The doll has a brown color and is marbled with some black spots.

Distribution and occurrence

The range of the species is located in North and Central America and extends south of the 38th parallel to Mexico and Costa Rica. In the north, there are also some deposits in the coastal areas of New York and Oregon. Atlides halesus is preferably present in wooded areas.

Way of life

The moths who love to visit flowers for nectar intake, fly in Florida, southern Texas and further south in consecutive generations throughout the year. In the more northerly areas of occurrence, the moths fly in several generations of March to November. There the pupae of the last generation overwinter at the foot or behind the bark of trees, but are often parasitized by Legimmen. The caterpillars live on trees juniperinum to Sandelholzgewächsen ( Santalaceae ), particularly on Phoradendron flavescens, Phoradendron californicum, Phoradendron bolleanum and Phoradendron. Younger stages caterpillars feed on the epidermis, the elderly eat the entire leaf.

Subspecies

• Atlides halesus halesus ( Cramer, 1777)
• Atlides halesus corcorani Clench, 1942

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