Juniper hairstreak
This is one of the only truly green butterflies found across the United States and Canada, its underside colored to match the juniper needles where it perches.
| Where | Juniper and cedar woodlands, glades |
|---|---|
| Size | 19 to 32 mm wingspan |
| When | March to August |
The Juniper hairstreak shows a gray-brown to reddish brown upperside, sometimes with redder patches near the short hindwing tails, while the underside is marked with shades of green and brown crossed by a white line. Its wingspan runs from about 19 to 32 mm.
Caterpillars feed only on the fresh, growing needle tips of junipers and cedars, and adults rest on these same trees with wings folded, blending into the foliage. Two broods fly through spring and summer, and individual adults live for only about a week.
Traits
Habitat
Woodland
Colour
Green, Brown, Orange
Active
Day
To people
Harmless to people; adults rest quietly on cedar and juniper foliage.
Activity through the year
Often confused with
Shows a brighter, more evenly frosted green underside without the olive tone of the Juniper hairstreak, and the white line near the hindwing edge curves inward sharply instead of running in a smooth, even curve.
Questions
Is the Juniper hairstreak dangerous to people?
Harmless to people; adults rest quietly on cedar and juniper foliage.
When can you see the Juniper hairstreak?
The Juniper hairstreak can be seen from March to August, by day.
Plate retouched from a museum specimen photo by Virginia Tech, Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech Insect Collection, CC0, GBIF Licence
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Butterflies and moths›Blues and coppers›Callophrys
Last updated 2026-09-27. Every entry is checked against published sources.