Edwards' hairstreak butterfly satyrium edwardsii

Edwards' hairstreak butterfly is rarely found in Ohio. Though it is possible to find it throughout the state, it is generally found in Lucas and Fulton counties in the northern part of the state, and in the extreme southern portions of Brown, Adams, Highland, Pike, and Scioto counties. Sightings have also been reported in Franklin, Tuscarawas, and Cuyahoga counties. The northern populations of this butterfly can be found in or near oak trees, and the southern populations in prairies. Naturalists suspect that there is a specific soil type common to both localities that may attract the Edwards' hairstreak. It is a member of the Lycaenidae (gossamer winged) family and can usually found between June and July. This species has a wingspan of 1.2 to 1.4 inches (3 to 3.7 cm). In Ohio there are more than 150 species of butterflies. Twenty-seven different species of butterflies representing five families can be found in the Ohio Memory Online Scrapbook, including all seven species of butterflies that are listed as endangered in Ohio. Butterflies are a part of the order Lepidoptera (from the Greek words lepis, which means scale and pteron, which means wing). There are nearly 17,500 species of butterflies world-wide. Approximately 750 of these can be found in North America