Purple hairstreak butterfly
Purple hairstreak butterfly
Invertebrate
A small, elusive butterfly that spends most of its time high up in oak trees.
💡 Fun Facts
- The males have a brilliant purple sheen on their wings, while females only have small purple patches.
- Their caterpillars feed exclusively on oak leaves.
- Adults feed on honeydew secreted by aphids rather than flower nectar.
📅 Through the Year
- Active:July to August
Name Story
Favonius quercus
means “the west-wind butterfly of the oak”
What does its name mean?
- Favonius — the west wind — the gentle wind of springLatin
- quercus — oakLatin; the one tree it lives in all its life
- purple — the shimmering purple sheen of the male's wingsEnglish
- hairstreak — the thin, hair-like white streak across the underwingEnglish
The English name names two real things — a purple shimmer and a hair-thin streak — while the scientific name pairs the airy 'west wind' with the oak tree the butterfly never leaves. Scientists kept changing its first name over the years (from Thecla to Quercusia to Neozephyrus and now Favonius), but the 'oak' part never moved.
📄 Educational Handout Available
Download the printable infographic: Butterflies vs Moths
📄 Educational Handout Available
Download the printable infographic: Butterfly & Moth Life Cycle