The Hessel’s Hairstreak (Callophrys hesseli) is listed as a state endangered species in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, and New York. It is listed as a Species of Concern in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Their scattered populations are along the Atlantic coast south to Georgia, and the Florida panhandle.
The host plant is Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), in the family Cupressaceae. In Georgia and New York, this plant is already considered rare and is a Species of Concern in Maine. In Pennsylvania, this plant has already been extirpated. Insecticidal sprays and loss of the Atlantic White Cedars have contributed to the decreased populations of the Hessel’s Hairstreak.
For additional information regarding the Hessel’s Hairstreak, please visit The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, www.xerces.org/hessels-hairstreak. (Photo Credit: MaryAnn Friedmann)
