Bug FAQCaribbean Scrub-Hairstreak
Strymon acis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
Also called: Antillean Hairstreak, Bartram's Scrub Hairstreak, Bertram's Scrub Hairstreak
The Caribbean Scrub-Hairstreak is a small butterfly with a wingspan of about 22 to 29 mm. Its upper wings are dark gray, while the underside is pale gray with white and thin black lines, two white spots near the base, and the hindwing bears one long and one short tail. It lives in openings within pine woods in southern Florida and the West Indies, flies from February to November, and its caterpillars feed on the upper side of host-plant leaves, flowers and fruit.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The upper side of the wings is dark gray. The underside is pale gray with white lines and finer black lines. There are two white spots near the wing base. The hindwing has one long tail and one short tail.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The butterfly’s wingspan ranges from 22 to 29 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers openings in pine woods.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adult butterflies sip nectar from narrow-leafed croton and shepherd’s needle flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Eggs are laid singly on the flower stalks of host plants.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In Florida there are three to four flight periods between February and November.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 2 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, California.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
When are Caribbean Scrub-Hairstreaks active?
They have three to four flight periods from February through November in Florida.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this butterfly?
Look for it in openings within pine woods in southern Florida and the West Indies.
Source: Wikipedia
What flowers do the adults visit?
Adults drink nectar from narrow-leafed croton and shepherd’s needle flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strymon_acis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.