White M Hairstreak

Description:

The M-shaped lines on the underside hind wing lead towards a focal point of "false eye" - the red and blue spots and the "false antennae" - short wing tails with white tips. The mimicry goes even further: the hairstreak turns around when it lands in order to fool the predator about the whereabouts of its vital organs. Hence, frequently one can find individuals missing parts of the wings where the eyespot and tails were located: these individuals escape attack by the predators, such as birds (Robbins 1981).

Habitat:

Felt's Audubon Preserve