Strymon istapa

Strymon istapa
Female, Grand Cayman
Cuba
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Lycaenidae
Subfamily:	Theclinae
Genus:	Strymon
Species:	S. istapa
Binomial name
Strymon istapa (Reakirt, [1867])

Strymon istapa has many common names with the most well-known being the mallow hairstreak, mallow-scrub hairstreak, dotted hairstreak, or Hewitson's hairstreak. This diurnal butterfly is a widespread species that can be found in xeric habitats throughout the Southern United States, Central America, parts of the Caribbean (including Cuba and Grand Cayman),^[1] and rarely in South America.^[2] This species can be spotted in rural and suburban areas in which human infringement has created open fields or tracks of overgrown weeds as a result of land clearing. These butterflies are often seen rubbing their hindwings together presumably to attract attention to their antenna mimicry scales located on the outer margin of the hindwing.

References

1. R. R. Askew and P. A. van B. Stafford, Butterflies of the Cayman Islands (Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2008) ISBN 978-87-88757-85-9, pp. 75-76
2. Robbins, Robert (1998). "TAXONOMY AND NOMENCLATURE OF STRYMON ISTAPA AND S. COLUMELLA (LYCAENIDAE: THECLINAE: EUMAE1NI)" (PDF). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 52.