Satyrium tetra

Introduction:

The Mountain Mahogany Hairstreak is a understated yet fascinating gossamer-winged butterfly closely tied to dry chaparral and woodland habitats across the American West. Named after its primary caterpillar host plant, mountain mahogany, this butterfly is well adapted to arid foothills and mountain slopes where it frequently visits flowers like buckwheat and milkweed.
Life Cycle: Eggs are laid singly on the stems or twigs of host plants and overwinter before hatching in the spring. Larvae feed on young foliage and blooms, pupating near the base of the plant. Adults emerge in early summer to mate and lay eggs, completing one generation per year.

Size 1 to 1 1/4 inch (2.5 to 3.2 cm)
Sexual Dimorphism: Males have a short tail on each hindwing, while females feature a distinctly longer tail. Females also tend to have a slightly paler or more yellowish tinge to their greyish-brown upper wings.
Metamorphosis: complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult)