Overview
Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak butterfly measures only an inch in length. Its gray color blends into the limestone of the pine rocklands where it lives, with distinctive rust-colored splashes and white and black borders lining its wings making it easy to identify.
Threats
The leafwing only occurs in pine rocklands, which is a globally designated imperiled ecosystem. The main threats to the species are the destruction of pine rockland habitat, disease, predation, parasites, fire suppression, use of insecticides for mosquito control, and poaching.
Scientific Name
Identification Numbers
Characteristics
Habitat
Bartram's scrub-hairstreak butterfly only occurs in pine rockland habitats.
Life Cycle
The female butterflies lay eggs on the pineland croton plant, contributing significantly to the pollination of this host plant.
Food
While the pineland croton is their favorite for nectar, these butterflies also feed on the nectar from a variety of plants like pine acacia, Spanish needles, and saw palmetto, among others.
Behavior
Known for being sedentary, these butterflies are also adept at evading natural disturbances, which allows them to recolonize and spread across their pine rockland habitat effectively.
Physical Characteristics
With a body length of one inch, the Bartram’s scrub hairstreak has a gray base color. Patches of rust adorn the wings lined with white and black, making them quite distinctive.
Geography
Once common throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, the Bartram’s scrub-hairstreak now has a much more limited distribution, primarily on Big Pine Key and in select conservation areas within Miami-Dade County.
Timeline
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