Great Purple Hairstreak

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bugman
Published Date:

Swallowtail butterfly?
October 19, 2009
I’ve had a difficult time identifying this butterfly. It has markings similar to a Pipvine Swallowtail, but not close enough for a positive ID. Observed 10-18-2009 in Central Texas. Can you help?
Regards
Ed Sparks
McKinney Falls St. Park, Austin TX

Great Purple Hairstreak
Great Purple Hairstreak

Hi Ed,
Your lovely little butterfly is much too small to be a swallowtail.  It is a Great Purple Hairstreak.  Your photo is exquisite.

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for the kind words.  What a magnificent butterfly!  It never opened its wings on the flower, so I never saw the beautiful colors on its back.
Thank you for the identification!
Regards,
Ed Sparks
Austin, TX

Photo of author

bugman

BugMan aka Daniel Marlos has been identifying bugs since 1999. WhatsThatbug.com is his passion project and it has helped millions of readers identify the bug that has been bugging them for over two decades. You can reach out to him through our Contact Page.

2 thoughts on “Great Purple Hairstreak”

  1. Hello, Ed,

    Your photo of the Great Purple Hairstreak is so good I would love to paint it.

    May I have your permission to paint it? If so, I would be glad to credit you as the photographer.

    Reply

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