Click below to see the answer to this weeks’ quiz!
The caterpillar on the left is the Summer Azure. The caterpillar on the right is a Gray Hairstreak.
These caterpillars look similar because they are both in the Gossamerwing family (Lycaenidae).
The Summer Azure caterpillar can vary in color from green to pink. They may have pale stripes along their back and lack prominent hairs. You can find the Summer Azure on Dogwoods, New Jersey Tea and Meadowsweet.
The Gray Hairstreak caterpillar is typically green with markings on the sides with short, yellow hairs. As they grow through instars, they turn a tan to pink color to camouflage with their host plants. The Gray Hairstreak will host on a wide variety of plants, although they prefer mallows and legumes, in particular clovers like the caterpillar here.
While Gray Hairstreak are one of the more common Hairstreaks across the US, northern New England is outside of their typical range making them more rare to see in Vermont. The Summer Azure is more common in Vermont, although they can be difficult to distinguish from the uncertain number of other Azure species.
Both of these species are myrmecophiles or ant-loving insects. While ants are typically caterpillar predators, some butterflies in Lycaenidae have managed to recruit the ants to be their babysitters and bodyguards. Take a look for a clump of ants on one of these host plants and see if you can follow them to a caterpillar!
Gray Hairstreak by Lyn Roueche (iNaturalist)
Summer Azure by Casey Harless (iNaturalist)
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