I thought I was done with the blog for the year, but 2025 held on one more day with an explosion of hairstreaks. After a couple of days in the 50s and then warming up to 70 today lots of butterflies were enjoying the sun and looking for something to eat. Jim Snyder from College Station found the bug of the day with our second Black Hairstreak for the December.
Second best were two Telea Haistreaks on the same frostweed. These were both better than the scruffy one I found a couple of days ago.
Several Silver-banded Haistreaks were out.
Marius Hairstreaks seem to be increasing in numbers.
I saw only one Clytie Ministreak.
Gray Haistreaks have recovered after being rare for most of the fall.
Here is the common lowly Mallow-scrub Hairstreak.
And the even more lowly Lantana Scrub-Haistreak. It doesn't even get to have a tail.
Finally the tenth haistreak species for the day was Dusky-blue Groundstreak. My all time high is eleven in one day. I missed White Scrub-hairstreak and Clench's Greenstreak that were both seen today.
The National Butterfly Center recorded 138 species in December after a record November total of 141. Hot sunny weather ahead so we should get 2026 off to a good start.
