So I remembered to water the kumquat tree a couple of weeks ago, and what do you know? It rewarded me by blooming profusely. The smell was overpowering but I managed to stagger over and capture this common hairstreak, Strymon melinus, which was lingering on the underside of a leaf near a cluster of blossoms. While I watched it never fed at the citrus blossoms, just hung out. Quite possibly this was a male watching for potential mates flying by. These small (about 1" wingspan) butterflies spend time on the mallow species (anisodontea specifically in my yard) which are, according to Hogue, one of their main larval food plants. They also seem attracted to the lemon verbena.
The mid-autumn sun glints off the hairstreak's wing, bidding you farewell from the light side of the year.
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