Lycaenidae : Theclinae
Chlorostrymon maesites (Herrich-Schäffer, 1865)
Amethyst Hairstreak
Chlorostrymon maesites (Herrich-Schäffer, 1865)
Amethyst Hairstreak
Description and Similar Species: Wingspan 20-22mm. Sexually dimorphic with female uppersides having a pale powder blue covering about half of the forewing. Males are a much brighter blue covering almost the entire upper surface. Undersides are similar in both sexes. The only confusion species is Silver-banded Hairstreak Chlorostrymon simaethis that has a darker green underside rather than the yellow-green of C. maesites.
Range: Found only in Florida and the West Indies.
Status: Rare in Cuba and has mainly been found in the west to date - at Guanahacabibes, Zapata, San Antonio de los Banos _Artemisa. But in 2022 it has also been found breeding in a garden in the city of Camaguey.
Nectar Plants: Chromolaena odorata, Morinda, Cordia, Jatropha, Schinus and Pithecellobium.
Larval Foodplants: Larvae have been found feeding on the flowers of Calopogonium coeruleum (Fernández). {NOTE: Most modern references spell this caeruleum and I'm not sure which is correct}.
Range: Found only in Florida and the West Indies.
Status: Rare in Cuba and has mainly been found in the west to date - at Guanahacabibes, Zapata, San Antonio de los Banos _Artemisa. But in 2022 it has also been found breeding in a garden in the city of Camaguey.
Nectar Plants: Chromolaena odorata, Morinda, Cordia, Jatropha, Schinus and Pithecellobium.
Larval Foodplants: Larvae have been found feeding on the flowers of Calopogonium coeruleum (Fernández). {NOTE: Most modern references spell this caeruleum and I'm not sure which is correct}.
Foodplants and Habitat
