Bug FAQWhite Scrub-Hairstreak
Strymon albata · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Lycaenidae
The white Scrub-Hairstreak is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 29 to 35 mm and belongs to the Lycaenidae family. It occurs from southern Texas through Central America to Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad, with adults feeding on flower nectar and larvae feeding on Abutilon incanum buds and young fruits. In southern Texas there are two generations flying June-December, while in the tropics adults are on wing year-round.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The white Scrub-Hairstreak belongs to the Lycaenidae family of butterflies.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Its wingspan measures about 29 to 35 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It lives from southern Texas through Central America to Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Adults sip nectar from various flowers, such as blue boneset. The caterpillars eat flower buds and young fruits of the plant Abutilon incanum.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
In southern Texas there are two generations, with adults flying from June to December. In tropical areas adults can be seen throughout the year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
In the tropics the species is on wing all year.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
In the United States it occurs in southern Texas. Beyond the U.S. it is found in Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Texas.
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 white Scrub-Hairstreak adults active?
In southern Texas they are on wing from June through December, while in the tropics they are active year-round.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find this butterfly?
It occurs from southern Texas down through Costa Rica and into Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Lycaenidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strymon_albata
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.