Head to head
Purple Hairstreak vs Great Purple Hairstreak
Purple Hairstreak
VS Great Purple Hairstreak
The purple hairstreak of Europe and the great purple hairstreak of the southern United States are two hairstreak butterflies with similar names but very different colours and host plants.
| Purple Hairstreak | Great Purple Hairstreak | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Favonius quercus | Atlides halesus |
| Colour | A purple sheen on the male's upper wings, and two purple patches on the forewings of the female | Vivid iridescent blue-green on the upper wings, produced by microscopic scale structures |
| Underside | Silvery grey with a thin white streak and a small orange-capped spot near the tail | Bright red-orange markings near the base of the body |
| Tails | A short tail on each hindwing | Thin, thread-like tails on the hindwings that may act as a false antenna to misdirect predators |
| Caterpillar food | Oak buds and young leaves | Mistletoe growing on host trees, and nothing else |
| Adult food | Mostly honeydew from aphids on oak leaves | Nectar from a variety of flowers |
| Habitat and range | Oak woodland across Europe, reaching North Africa and Turkey, with adults living high in the canopy | Forest containing mistletoe-bearing host trees across the southern United States |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, widespread but under-recorded | Least Concern, widespread and generally common |
Purple Hairstreak vs Great Purple Hairstreak: common questions
Which hairstreak eats mistletoe?
The great purple hairstreak, whose caterpillars feed exclusively on mistletoe growing on host trees.
Which one lives in oak trees?
The purple hairstreak, which spends almost its whole life high in oak canopy and overwinters as an egg on an oak twig.
Where do the purple hairstreak and great purple hairstreak live?
The purple hairstreak lives in oak woodland across Europe, while the great purple hairstreak lives in mistletoe-bearing forest across the southern United States.