![\"sandia](\"http:\/\/www.edgewiseblog.com\/mjh\/wp-content\/mine\/2011\/04\/DSC07010.jpg\" "\\"sandia")
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A month ago, my friend, Lisa Tannenbaum, commented on Facebook that we were nearing the end of the season for seeing Sandia hairstreaks, New Mexico<\/a>\u2019s official State Butterfly. Lisa is the state\u2019s unofficial ambassador for the Sandia hairstreak<\/a>. I decided to seize the opportunity and try my luck. So, one Friday noon in late March, I drove out to the Embudo Canyon trailhead at the end of Indian School Road and started out on one of the many dirt trails there, looking for the beargrass the hairstreak lives on. I hadn\u2019t gone 20 feet before this hairstreak \u2013 about the size of a nickel \u2013 flew across the trail and kindly alighted on some dry grass, proceeding to turn, pose, pause for a dozen photos. Then, off it went. Thank you, Universe, I love you, too.<\/p>\n Sandia Hairstreak – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<\/a> <\/p>\n The Sandia Hairstreak<\/b>, scientific name<\/a> Callophrys mcfarlandi<\/b><\/i> (or Sandia mcfarlandi<\/b><\/i>[2]<\/a><\/sup>) is a species<\/a> of butterfly<\/a> native<\/a> to North America<\/a>.[3]<\/a><\/sup>[4]<\/a><\/sup> A relatively rare butterfly with a limited range,[5]<\/a><\/sup> it was discovered in La Cueva Canyon, Albuquerque<\/a> in 1959<\/font> by "a 4-H kid<\/a>"[6]<\/a><\/sup> and described the following year.[7]<\/a><\/sup>[8]<\/a><\/sup>[9]<\/a><\/sup> The Sandia Hairstreak was made one of the state insects<\/a> of New Mexico<\/a> in a 2002 bill approved the following year.[5]<\/a><\/sup>[7]<\/a><\/sup>[10]<\/a><\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sandia Hairstreak – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<\/a><\/p>\n New Mexico State Butterfly: Sandia Hairstreak<\/a> <\/p>\n Wing span:<\/b> 1 1\/8 – 1 1\/4 inches (2.9 – 3.2 cm). <\/p>\n Identification:<\/b> Tailless. Upperside of male is brown; female is reddish brown with a narrow black border. Underside yellow-green; white postmedian line bordered with black toward the wing base. <\/p>\n Life history:<\/b> Eggs are laid on flower stalks of the host plant. Caterpillars feed on flowers and fruits. <\/p>\n Flight:<\/b> Two flights from May-June.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n New Mexico State Butterfly: Sandia Hairstreak<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A month ago, my friend, Lisa Tannenbaum, commented on Facebook that we were nearing the end of the season for seeing Sandia hairstreaks, New Mexico\u2019s official State Butterfly. Lisa is the state\u2019s unofficial ambassador for the Sandia hairstreak. I decided to seize the opportunity and try my luck. So, one Friday noon in late March, … Continue reading Sandia Hairstreak: New Mexico’s State Butterfly<\/span> \n