Forest Pests: Insects, Diseases & Other Damage Agents

Hessel's Hairstreak (Callophrys hesseli)

Maier, C.T., C.R. Lemmon, J.M. Fengler, D.F. Schweitzer, and R.C. Reardon. 2004. Caterpillars on the Foliage of Conifers in the Northeastern United States. FHTET-2004-1. Morgantown, WV: USDA Forest Service, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team; 151 p.

Description. Slug-like, densely hairy, dark green body with head usually retracted into thorax and with rows of pale bars or spots. Yellowish white middorsal stripe; row of white and yellow oblique subdorsal bars. Indistinct, broken, greenish yellow spiracular stripe; fragmented, yellow and white subventral stripe. Up to 15 mm.

Food. Atlantic white-cedar.

Life Cycle. Two generations (second one is partial). Pupa overwinters in debris. Mature caterpillar present from June to September.

Comments. The second generation of Hessel's hairstreak may be overlooked because it usually is small. In a coastal swamp in Connecticut, this species has a small second flight of adults every year. Hessel's hairstreak previously was known as Mitoura hesseli.

[ Contents ]     [ Previous ]     [ Next ]     [ Home ]