424:
and male flowers until fully grown. The species gains protective toxins from their larval host plants that stay in their system into adulthood. The larvae are not colored in a way that warns predators of this, they instead match the green color and round shape of their host plant's foliage. This coloration will darken as the caterpillar ages, which also allows for successful camouflage with the leaves of their mistletoe host plant. Caterpillars are commonly spotted in the spring to early summer and have been primarily found on leaves and non-woody stems of mistletoe. Caterpillars will feed on the leaves of their host plant until time of pupation, which is around 20 days from hatching to pupation. The larvae mainly feeds on young leaves on the mistletoe plant, with early
266:
442:
458:. Adult butterflies have their orange and black colorings to signal the protective toxins and even have a behavior of rubbing their wings together. This draws attention to the markings on their back wings that serve as a "false head". During flight season, which stretches from spring to early summer, and from early fall to winter, ovipositing females preferentially target isolated mistletoe plants that have trunks of a smaller diameter to lay their eggs on, which is likely to minimize competition from other ovipositing butterflies.
25:
144:
402:
93:
385:
and brighter blue wing coloration when compared to their female counterparts. On the hind wings, the butterfly has two sets of tails of unequal length, which are the "hairstreaks" of this butterfly. The under-side of the wings are black, with orange-gold colored spots, with one spot on each of the front wings, and two spots on each hind-wing near the tails. The abdomen of the butterfly features a blue upper-side and an orange under-side.
121:
393:
points downwards, in addition to moving their bodies back and forth. The morphology of the hindwings along with this behavior will direct the attention of predators towards the false head, allowing the butterfly to minimize damage towards essential regions of the body by deflecting attack towards the less vulnerable hindwings.
414:
Males of this species wait for possible mates for mating on tall perches such as trees. The mated females then choose mistletoe plants for oviposition. The eggs are laid in either groups or by themselves on the host plant. The eggs appear white with a hard and solid outer surface. During oviposition,
423:
After hatching, larvae will emerge from the top of the egg, leaving behind an opening at the top of the egg. Once hatched, the larvae do not consume their egg shells as a first source of nutrition as other species of butterflies do. Instead, they go straight into feeding on their host plant's leaves
345:
blue above. Particularly the males are very colorful in flight – brilliant blue and velvety black, with bright red and golden markings – but when sitting down they show their inconspicuous dusky purple underside. On each hindwing, there are two tails, with one short and one long tail, lending itself
392:
hindwings mimic a head. The combination of the tails, resembling antennae of a butterfly, along with the orange spots on each hind-wing, which resembles eyes, gives the butterfly a "false head". When perching, the butterfly will also orient their body so the tails point upwards while the real head
384:
on the adult butterfly ranges from 1.25 to 1.5 inches. Despite its common name "great purple hairstreak", this butterfly does not sport any purple coloration. Instead, the upper-side of the wings are iridescent blue at the center, with a black border, and males typically have both a more extensive
437:
Next, the larvae pupate in well-protected areas close to the base of trees under pieces of bark or fallen leaves. Pupae appear dark brown and after about a minimum of 16 days, pupae will emerge as the adult stage butterfly.
428:
larvae being unable to chew through older leaves until they develop into late instar caterpillars. In addition, caterpillars have been observed to entirely defoliate their host plant before, leaving behind only the stems.
576:
1042:
1189:
1107:
869:
335:
1161:
1016:
1055:
619:"False head complexity and evidence of predator attacks in male and female hairstreak butterflies (Lepidoptera: Theclinae: Eumaeini) from Mexico"
1204:
1199:
1081:
68:
46:
128:
1060:
441:
265:
964:
415:
female butterflies will lay as many as twenty single eggs at different locations on the leaves of a mistletoe plant.
1112:
679:
554:
Great purple hairstreak ; great blue hairstreak, Atlides halesus (Cramer) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
492:
296:
270:
143:
39:
33:
897:
557:. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, EDIS.
50:
1086:
969:
865:
238:
857:
719:
1003:
935:
110:
1099:
830:
773:"Great Purple Hairstreak Atlides halesus (Cramer, 1777) | Butterflies and Moths of North America"
748:
591:"Great Purple Hairstreak Atlides halesus (Cramer, 1777) | Butterflies and Moths of North America"
570:
331:
138:
1073:
1047:
881:
876:
851:
341:
The common names refer to the butterfly's two main colors – dusky purple on the underside, and
1194:
1120:
990:
946:
822:
772:
658:
640:
590:
558:
401:
323:
92:
1125:
517:
814:
648:
630:
720:"Population biology of the great purple hairstreak, Atlides Halesus in Texas (Lycaenidae)"
462:
803:"The Insect Fauna of Mistletoe (Phoradendron tomentosum, Loranthaceae) in Southern Texas"
454:
After about 16 days from pupation to hatching, the adult butterfly will emerge from its
653:
618:
1183:
1068:
327:
311:
303:
255:
101:
1152:
995:
368:
1094:
1029:
929:
354:
319:
307:
195:
920:
886:
347:
342:
205:
826:
644:
617:
Novelo
Galicia, Eric; Luis Martínez, Moisés Armando; Cordero, Carlos (2019).
562:
466:
455:
361:
315:
175:
155:
662:
956:
1146:
977:
914:
381:
1166:
1021:
834:
802:
635:
299:
215:
982:
1034:
493:"NatureServe Explorer 2.0 - Atlides halesus, Great Purple Hairstreak"
425:
185:
165:
891:
818:
552:
461:
The great purple hairstreak has various natural enemies including
440:
400:
364:
357:
274:
264:
322:
parts of that continent, and it ranges southwards almost to the
1008:
895:
18:
852:
Great purple hairstreak, Butterflies of North
Carolina Online
445:
Adult butterfly with the false head on the back wings
749:"great purple hairstreak - Atlides halesus (Cramer)"
730:: 179–185 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
1136:
904:
680:"Great Purple Hairstreak - Alabama Butterfly Atlas"
388:Like other butterfly species, the morphology of
8:
575:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
870:Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
405:Mistletoe Plant- Host Plant of this Species
892:
330:, however, was shipped to Europe from the
119:
91:
82:
652:
634:
336:United States Declaration of Independence
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
32:This article includes a list of general
484:
724:Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society
568:
526:Butterflies and Moths of North America
1190:NatureServe apparently secure species
878:Many beautiful images of this species
796:
794:
792:
7:
743:
741:
739:
737:
713:
711:
709:
707:
705:
703:
701:
699:
674:
672:
612:
610:
546:
544:
542:
346:to the name "hairstreak". Several
334:, probably around the time of the
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
142:
23:
684:alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu
1:
1205:Butterflies described in 1777
883:Very detailed rearing project
314:range only includes the warm-
1200:Butterflies of North America
104:from above (left) and below
888:Life cycle video on YouTube
807:The Southwestern Naturalist
801:Whittaker, Paul L. (1984).
777:www.butterfliesandmoths.org
595:www.butterfliesandmoths.org
1221:
518:"Great Purple Hairstreak,
858:"Great purple hairstreak"
551:W., Hall, Donald (1999).
297:gossamer-winged butterfly
244:
237:
139:Scientific classification
137:
117:
108:
99:
90:
85:
718:Whittaker, Paul (1984).
497:explorer.natureserve.org
86:Great purple hairstreak
283:great purple hairstreak
53:more precise citations.
446:
406:
278:
866:University of Florida
444:
404:
293:great blue hairstreak
268:
465:, the species being
16:Species of butterfly
306:. It is actually a
291:), also called the
111:Conservation status
862:Featured Creatures
753:entnemdept.ufl.edu
636:10.7717/peerj.7143
474:Metadontia amoena.
447:
407:
332:Colony of Virginia
279:
269:Resting female in
125:Apparently Secure
1177:
1176:
1121:Open Tree of Life
898:Taxon identifiers
324:Isthmus of Panama
271:Rio Grande Valley
263:
262:
132:
79:
78:
71:
1212:
1170:
1169:
1157:
1156:
1155:
1129:
1128:
1116:
1115:
1103:
1102:
1090:
1089:
1077:
1076:
1064:
1063:
1051:
1050:
1038:
1037:
1025:
1024:
1012:
1011:
999:
998:
986:
985:
973:
972:
960:
959:
950:
949:
940:
939:
938:
925:
924:
923:
893:
873:
839:
838:
798:
787:
786:
784:
783:
769:
763:
762:
760:
759:
745:
732:
731:
715:
694:
693:
691:
690:
676:
667:
666:
656:
638:
614:
605:
604:
602:
601:
587:
581:
580:
574:
566:
548:
537:
536:
534:
532:
514:
508:
507:
505:
503:
489:
463:parasitoid wasps
390:Atlides halesus'
350:are recognized.
302:in parts of the
250:
147:
146:
126:
123:
122:
95:
83:
74:
67:
63:
60:
54:
49:this article by
40:inline citations
27:
26:
19:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1214:
1213:
1211:
1210:
1209:
1180:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1165:
1160:
1151:
1150:
1145:
1138:Papilio halesus
1132:
1124:
1119:
1111:
1106:
1098:
1093:
1085:
1080:
1072:
1067:
1059:
1054:
1046:
1041:
1033:
1028:
1020:
1015:
1007:
1002:
994:
989:
981:
976:
968:
963:
955:
953:
947:Atlides-halesus
945:
943:
936:Atlides halesus
934:
933:
928:
919:
918:
913:
906:Atlides halesus
900:
856:
848:
843:
842:
819:10.2307/3670996
800:
799:
790:
781:
779:
771:
770:
766:
757:
755:
747:
746:
735:
717:
716:
697:
688:
686:
678:
677:
670:
616:
615:
608:
599:
597:
589:
588:
584:
567:
550:
549:
540:
530:
528:
522:(Cramer, 1777)"
520:Atlides halesus
516:
515:
511:
501:
499:
491:
490:
486:
481:
452:
435:
421:
412:
399:
378:
288:Atlides halesus
259:
252:
248:Atlides halesus
246:
233:
230:A. halesus
141:
133:
124:
120:
113:
75:
64:
58:
55:
45:Please help to
44:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1218:
1216:
1208:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1182:
1181:
1175:
1174:
1172:
1171:
1158:
1142:
1140:
1134:
1133:
1131:
1130:
1117:
1104:
1091:
1078:
1065:
1052:
1039:
1026:
1013:
1000:
987:
974:
961:
951:
941:
926:
910:
908:
902:
901:
896:
890:
889:
884:
879:
874:
854:
847:
846:External links
844:
841:
840:
813:(4): 435–444.
788:
764:
733:
695:
668:
606:
582:
538:
509:
483:
482:
480:
477:
451:
448:
434:
431:
420:
417:
411:
408:
398:
395:
377:
374:
312:North American
295:, is a common
261:
260:
253:
242:
241:
235:
234:
227:
225:
221:
220:
213:
209:
208:
203:
199:
198:
193:
189:
188:
183:
179:
178:
173:
169:
168:
163:
159:
158:
153:
149:
148:
135:
134:
118:
115:
114:
109:
106:
105:
97:
96:
88:
87:
77:
76:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1217:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1168:
1163:
1159:
1154:
1148:
1144:
1143:
1141:
1139:
1135:
1127:
1122:
1118:
1114:
1109:
1105:
1101:
1096:
1092:
1088:
1083:
1079:
1075:
1070:
1066:
1062:
1057:
1053:
1049:
1044:
1040:
1036:
1031:
1027:
1023:
1018:
1014:
1010:
1005:
1001:
997:
992:
988:
984:
979:
975:
971:
966:
962:
958:
952:
948:
942:
937:
931:
927:
922:
916:
912:
911:
909:
907:
903:
899:
894:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
871:
867:
863:
859:
855:
853:
850:
849:
845:
836:
832:
828:
824:
820:
816:
812:
808:
804:
797:
795:
793:
789:
778:
774:
768:
765:
754:
750:
744:
742:
740:
738:
734:
729:
725:
721:
714:
712:
710:
708:
706:
704:
702:
700:
696:
685:
681:
675:
673:
669:
664:
660:
655:
650:
646:
642:
637:
632:
628:
624:
620:
613:
611:
607:
596:
592:
586:
583:
578:
572:
564:
560:
556:
555:
547:
545:
543:
539:
527:
523:
521:
513:
510:
498:
494:
488:
485:
478:
476:
475:
472:. as well as
471:
469:
464:
459:
457:
449:
443:
439:
432:
430:
427:
418:
416:
409:
403:
396:
394:
391:
386:
383:
375:
373:
371:
370:
366:
363:
359:
356:
351:
349:
344:
339:
337:
333:
329:
328:type specimen
325:
321:
317:
313:
310:species; its
309:
305:
304:United States
301:
298:
294:
290:
289:
284:
276:
272:
267:
257:
251:
249:
243:
240:
239:Binomial name
236:
232:
231:
226:
223:
222:
219:
218:
214:
211:
210:
207:
204:
201:
200:
197:
194:
191:
190:
187:
184:
181:
180:
177:
174:
171:
170:
167:
164:
161:
160:
157:
154:
151:
150:
145:
140:
136:
130:
116:
112:
107:
103:
102:type specimen
98:
94:
89:
84:
81:
73:
70:
62:
52:
48:
42:
41:
35:
30:
21:
20:
1137:
905:
861:
810:
806:
780:. Retrieved
776:
767:
756:. Retrieved
752:
727:
723:
687:. Retrieved
683:
626:
622:
598:. Retrieved
594:
585:
553:
529:. Retrieved
525:
519:
512:
500:. Retrieved
496:
487:
473:
467:
460:
453:
436:
422:
413:
397:Life History
389:
387:
379:
369:Phoradendron
367:
360:feed on the
352:
340:
292:
287:
286:
282:
280:
247:
245:
229:
228:
216:
80:
65:
56:
37:
1095:NatureServe
1030:iNaturalist
930:Wikispecies
376:Description
355:caterpillar
320:subtropical
308:Neotropical
196:Lepidoptera
129:NatureServe
51:introducing
1184:Categories
1153:Q109585119
782:2020-12-16
758:2020-12-16
689:2020-12-16
600:2021-05-25
479:References
348:subspecies
343:iridescent
206:Lycaenidae
176:Arthropoda
59:April 2012
34:references
1074:173004339
827:0038-4909
645:2167-8359
629:: e7143.
571:cite book
468:Apanteles
456:chrysalis
362:mistletoe
316:temperate
224:Species:
162:Kingdom:
156:Eukaryota
1195:Eumaeini
1147:Wikidata
1100:2.109868
1082:LepIndex
1048:10802830
978:BugGuide
954:BioLib:
944:BAMONA:
921:Q1943268
915:Wikidata
663:31275751
563:51244644
531:April 2,
382:wingspan
202:Family:
172:Phylum:
166:Animalia
152:Domain:
1167:9704808
1126:3150017
1113:2752843
1022:1923505
835:3670996
654:6598652
300:species
258:, 1777)
217:Atlides
212:Genus:
192:Order:
186:Insecta
182:Class:
127: (
47:improve
1087:199370
1061:777807
1009:263758
957:701799
833:
825:
661:
651:
643:
561:
426:instar
419:Larvae
358:larvae
326:. The
256:Cramer
36:, but
1043:IRMNG
1035:59128
996:67WLB
970:85364
831:JSTOR
623:PeerJ
502:7 May
450:Adult
365:genus
277:, USA
275:Texas
1162:GBIF
1108:NCBI
1069:IUCN
1056:ITIS
1017:GBIF
983:2844
965:BOLD
823:ISSN
659:PMID
641:ISSN
577:link
559:OCLC
533:2012
504:2020
433:Pupa
410:Eggs
380:The
353:Its
318:and
281:The
100:The
1004:EoL
991:CoL
815:doi
649:PMC
631:doi
1186::
1164::
1149::
1123::
1110::
1097::
1084::
1071::
1058::
1045::
1032::
1019::
1006::
993::
980::
967::
932::
917::
868:/
864:.
860:.
829:.
821:.
811:29
809:.
805:.
791:^
775:.
751:.
736:^
728:38
726:.
722:.
698:^
682:.
671:^
657:.
647:.
639:.
625:.
621:.
609:^
593:.
573:}}
569:{{
541:^
524:.
495:.
470:sp
372:.
338:.
273:,
872:.
837:.
817::
785:.
761:.
692:.
665:.
633::
627:7
603:.
579:)
565:.
535:.
506:.
285:(
254:(
131:)
72:)
66:(
61:)
57:(
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
