Cardiospermum

Guides

  • Chlorostrymon simaethis

    silver-banded hairstreak, St. Christopher's hairstreak, Key lime hairstreak

    Chlorostrymon simaethis is a small lycaenid butterfly distributed across the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism in wing coloration, with males displaying iridescent purple uppersides and females appearing grayish brown. The common name refers to the distinctive bright silvery-white postmedian band on the lime green underside of both wings. The butterfly is closely associated with its host plants in the genus Cardiospermum, where larvae develop inside seed pods.