Bug FAQWestern Green Hairstreak
Callophrys affinis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
Also called: Bramble Hairstreak
How to recognize it
It belongs to the butterfly family Lycaenidae.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
The wingspan measures roughly 20 to 28 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
The larvae feed on the plant Eriogonum umbellatum.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults appear from early March through mid-June.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native range includes western Canada and the western United States.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 13 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Colorado, California, Arizona, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, New Mexico.
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 can I see western green hairstreaks?
Adults are active from early March to mid-June.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callophrys_affinis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.