A Green And Brown Butterfly

Brown isn’t an unusual color in a butterfly, but green is unusual. This is a Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus). It’s a small butterfly with a wingspan of just 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches.

Native to North America. Here in Virginia the larval host plant is Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana).

This guy in the photo is getting nectar at the flowers of an Applemint (Mentha suaveolens).

________________________________

If you would like to receive my daily blog posts by email, sign up here!

Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “A Green And Brown Butterfly”

  1. I have one that periodically shows up in my Mt mint patch and thought it was an Olive. when I take the camera to find it, it ain’t there, but when the camera ain’t, it oft ti’s. But, it I get a pic, I’ll let you know, seems much greener than you’re Juniper although I’m awash in Juniper trees and Olives I get from the Garden.

  2. Hi Ken! Common names drive me CRAZY!! Juniper Hairstreaks are the same butterfly as the Olive Hairstreak. They are both the Callophrys gryneus, which is the scientific name that I try to include in all my posts. And yes, the colors do vary but they’re the same butterfly!

    So very glad that you read my posts!
    Bren

Comments are closed.