First Observation of the Day: The Gray Hairstreak!
Today we are unveiling the first Merck Forest BioBlitz 2021 Observation of the Day (OOTD)! Every day until July 24th we’ll be highlighting a rare, impressive, or otherwise interesting iNaturalist observation that was collected during last year's Merck Forest BioBlitz 2020. These observations will give you some insight into what species you could find during our upcoming BioBlitz, so keep an eye on this project's journal, or follow along on the Merck Forest and Farmland Center's Facebook page.
Today’s OOTD is the first and only Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus) observed at Merck Forest, and this observation is the first identification of this species in Bennington County! The Gray Hairstreak is a small butterfly in the second largest family of butterflies, Lycaenidae. The caterpillar and adult stages of S. melinus do not have a particular preference for habitat, so they can be found across almost the entire North American continent (Source). Shout-out to Tim Duclos, the Conservation Manager at Merck Forest, for capturing this observation!
If collecting and identifying insects is especially of interest to you, there will be bug nets and insect collection boxes available for check-out at BioBlitz 2021. We hope to see you there!
Links
Merck Forest Website Event Page
Merck Forest Registration Page
iNaturalist Project Page
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