endangered animals

The Hessel's hairstreak Callophrys [Mitoura] is an extremely rare species of butterfly found in Delaware and modernly rare in the United States. It's threatened in Delaware because of lack of habitat and lack of food. The reproductive cycle of the Hessel's hairstreak starts with the males perch at tops of host's trees to seek receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on terminal growth of host tree; caterpillars grow on and eat older foliage. The caterpillar is dark blue -green with bars on each side, then it becomes a butterfly. The scientific name is a Callophrys [Mitoura] hesseli. Their habitat is wetlands and swamps. There food is white cedar and a variety of mud and plants. White cedar habitat loss is making these butterfly's extinct. There range is very local, from Atlantic coastal plain from Maine south and west to central Georgia, Peninsular Florida on the Gulf coast. Delaware Department of Research classified the species has s3 which means they are very rare throughout it's range. They are classified as very rare. To identify a Hessel's Hairstreak you look at the two tails on the hind wing. You also can look at the underside which has blue- green spots surrounded by patches of red -brown. These butterfly's are active from April to July. Most populations are small and local. All are being conserved. Their wingspan is 2.5 to 2.8cm. There Kingdom is animalia and there are in class insecta. They are in the order Lepidoptera. Works Cited	Dutch
Animals http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/fw/animal.htm Butterflies and Skippers of North America Callophrys hesseli http://www.neartica.com/butter/plate8/Chessel.htm
Written by: Kelly	(geschreven door)