Bug FAQBehr's Hairstreak
Satyrium behrii · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
The Behr's hairstreak is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 24 to 32 mm. It lives on dry slopes and in canyons across western North America, from western Texas and New Mexico up through British Columbia. Adults drink flower nectar, while the caterpillars feed on several shrub species such as Purshia and Cercocarpus.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Behr's hairstreak belongs to the Lycaenidae family of butterflies.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wings measure roughly 24 to 32 mm across.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers dry hillside slopes and canyon environments.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adult butterflies sip nectar from flowers. Caterpillars eat the leaves of Purshia tridentata, Purshia glandulosa, and Cercocarpus montanus.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species produces one generation each year, with adults flying in June and July.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from June through July.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to western North America, ranging from western Texas and New Mexico through Arizona, southern California and up into British Columbia.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 11 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Colorado, Idaho, Washington, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Behr's hairstreak butterflies active?
Adults are seen flying during June and July each year.
Source: Wikipedia
What do the caterpillars of Behr's hairstreak eat?
They feed on leaves of Purshia tridentata, Purshia glandulosa, and Cercocarpus montanus.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyrium_behrii
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.