Sherry, Such pretty pictures! That reminds me that I haven't seen any of those this year either. When I grew beans in our veggie garden, I'd find their larvae/cats on some of the beans when I'd pick them. Of course, I'd keep them and raise them. I didn't mind sharing the beans with them. :)
Cathy

Nice! I am missing the butterflies. Fall is here and their numbers are plummeting. Enjoy seeing everyone's pics.

That's wonderful that you've raised a hairstreak, Cathy! I've never raised a single one! My book says they eat the flowering parts of the plant, and, since lespedeza is a legume, and it was hanging around (for a long time) on it, I'll be checking the flowers for possible cats.

I'm glad you're enjoying the pictures, SCG - I'm enjoying making and posting them!

Sherry

Sherry-

Oh my! I love Hairstreaks as well! They are the most adorable little things! In fact, I just posted a pic of a hairstreak on lespedeza (to i.d. plant). I've seen them laying eggs on this plant- the eastern-tailed blue as well. I have a question on i.d.ing one. I'll post it now.

Nerry

I've never seen a hairstreak. I so enjoyed seeing your pictures!
Liz

Here's a picture of a Gray Hairstreak cat that I had raised on beans in 2009...

The Gray Hairstreak that is on the bean pupated, and the one beside it was getting ready to pupate..

Here is an adult Gray Hairstreak nectaring on Butterfly Weed.

Red Banded

Nice shots Sherry! I love them too, and I am not seeing them yet this season here.

Cathy, those are some cool caterpillar/chrysalis pics! Love love love. I think that your adult Hairstreak pic looks like it might be the Banded Hairstreak instead of the Gray? I never knew that there were so many different Hairstreak butterflies. We don't have near the variety that you do.

Thanks for posting the pictures of the hairstreak cats, Cathy! I'll keep my eyes open for them, but I imagine they're hard to find.

Sherry

Thanks for pointing out they like beans as a host plant. Great shots as well!

Beautiful pics all of you! Cathy, how cool that you raised them!

Thanks, everyone. I'm glad that you liked the pics.
Sherry, They weren't too hard to find on the beans. Just look for the holes. ;-) That's the only thing that I've found them on. I am guessing that they would probably be found on scarlet runner beans. I never got around to planting them this year, but I plan to next year. It was too much of a strain on my back to bend over to pick beans, so I stopped planting them a few years ago. Sadly, the Gray Hairstreaks probably miss them though, and I haven't seen any of the butterflies this year at all.
Angie, It's a Gray Hairstreak. I'm sure I asked here on the forum when I wasn't sure what kind it was, so that's how I know. :)
SCG, Get those beans planted! It gives a person a new reason to plant them, huh. ;-)
BG, I thought it was neat raising them. It doesn't seem like many people do for some reason. Of course, it's been awhile since I have.
Cathy

I find them on my Hardy Hibiscus (mallow) they burrow into the flowerbuds. I raised 2 last year but have not seen any this year.

I have several grey haristreak cats chomping away on my hyacinth bean vine leaves. I just found out what they were and I think I'll have quite a few of those cute little guys soon.