Description

The White M Hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album) is a small butterfly with iridescent blue upper wings and grayish undersides featuring a white “M” shaped marking, orange spots near the tails, and is commonly found in woodlands, gardens, and areas with oak trees across eastern North America. Very rare in the Midwest. Photos here are from Washington DC

Range

A very rare stray in Minnesota with just a couple of sightings.

Similar Species

Gray hairstreak is similar but lacks a spot on the middle of the hindwing, and doesn’t have a pronounced M.

Host Plants

Here are the main larval host plants: White Oak (Quercus alba), Black Oak (Quercus velutina), Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata), Post Oak (Quercus stellata)

Flight

Overwinters in chrysalis, and can emerge as early as February and can fly until November in the south. It may stray to MN in the summer months.