Banded Hairstreak

Banded Hairstreak

Satyrium calanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Chicago

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

70 Verified sightings at Chicago
73 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Banded Hairstreak

Satyrium calanus, the banded hairstreak, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
7 New York City 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Banded Hairstreak in Chicago?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Banded Hairstreak sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 70 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 219th most-seen of the 978 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Banded Hairstreak in Chicago?

June and July

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Banded Hairstreak in Chicago on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Banded Hairstreak?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Banded Hairstreak sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Chicago the best place to see a Banded Hairstreak?

4th of 9

Of the 9 cities where we can rate Banded Hairstreak sightings, Chicago ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Toronto (Canada, about 10%), Boston (United States, under 5%) and Detroit (United States, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Banded Hairstreak live in Chicago?

Same family: Lycaenidae

The closest relatives of the Banded Hairstreak that you can see in Chicago (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Cyaniris neglecta (about 10%) and Elkalyce comyntas (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Banded Hairstreak sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Banded Hairstreak is recorded against all the insects logged in Chicago (70 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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