Sandia hairstreak butterflies usually become scarce sometime around the first or second week of April. That’s because, according to folks who know more than I do, they’re heading to the bottoms of beargrass plants to lay their eggs. And it’s usually right around then that beargrass starts shooting up its stalks of flower buds.
This year the stalks didn’t even begin to show up until late in April. As is the case with so many living things, some years are more abundant than others, so I initially figured this would be a very spare year for beargrass. After all, it was an exceptionally dry winter (not to mention spring).
I guessed wrong though; I saw more beargrass stalks in my little corner of the Sandia foothills than I’ve seen for many years. Better yet, many of the buds were a vibrant purple. The color of beargrass buds varies widely, from deep purple to pastel pink or lavender to straight-up white.
No matter what color the buds are, all the flowers are white when they open. The buds and flowers become food for Sandia hairstreak caterpillars as they work their way toward becoming full-fledged butterflies in May and June.
Here’s a brand-new Sandia hairstreak I ran into last week.1 You can see the beargrass buds and flowers behind it.
In early to mid-June, Sandia hairstreaks again disappear from view. They overwinter as adult butterflies, then show up again the following year near the beginning of March. They mate during March; lay their eggs near the beginning of April; and so the cycle of life repeats itself.
I have the Forest Service to thank for this particular sighting. One of my standard walks takes me a few feet into Forest Service land. Now that it’s off-limits, I figured I’d better be a good citizen — so instead of taking the easy trail down the hill, I’ve been bushwhacking through prickly pear and beargrass to get down. It’s only a few feet, but let’s just say my progress has been neither graceful nor elegant. The first day I felt my way through that bushwhack, clouds of Sandia hairstreaks flew up from the beargrass. I think they must’ve been brand-spanking-new butterflies — I’ve never seen so many in one place before or since.
We have two bear grass plants now and, as they grow, I await with great anticipation, the magic you write about and photograph!
😱❤️