HUNTING FOR THE RAREST BUTTERFLY IN THE USA AMETHYST HAIRSTREAK

We got a tip from a new friend - Mikie Green from CoolCritters KZbin channel that he saw one of the rarest butterflies in the United States at a location right down the street from my house. It was a freshly emerged Amethyst Hairstreak, Chlorostrymon maesites. I have over 1,000 man hours in the field looking for this butterfly and in 25+ years of hunting for them in South Florida, I have only seen 3.
My goal is to find a female of this butterfly and witness egg laying habits so we can obtain eggs and document the life cycle through video and photography. People have raised them before on buttonwood and on Albezia lebbeck, (ladies tongue tree) but there is something about these sea grape trees that remain interesting to me. The female I saw in the Florida Keys was also on a sea grape tree and Mikie found his on a sea grape as well. I can't confirm whether or not it was laying eggs however there is something about these trees that attracts amethyst hairstreaks.
In this video I will head to the spot in search of this rare tropical South Florida beauty.
Check out Mikies CoolCritters KZbin channel by clicking on this link!
• Catching FAST Snakes a...

[@rorysmith2415]

Butterflies are nice insects. Beautiful insects.

[@keysmoths5336]

The best!!!! Thanks

[@elizabethwest8302]

Pretty sure I just found one of these gems in northern Palm Beach County, also under a sea grape tree.

[@keysmoths5336]

Oh that’s amazing. I’d love some photos if you got some

[@gazoontight]

Excellent video.

[@keysmoths5336]

Why thank you!!

[@michaeless882]

Very much respect the fact that Entomology is much more popular and respected in the US! You've certainly got plenty of spp. to study there. Australia has some ultra-rarities, BUT.....try swinging a net around like that in public and law-enforcement will turn up in three minutes flat (not joking). The only possible way to collect over here is on farmer's properties. Also, our trees are tall so it's better to work out the life-history and breed out a nice series.

[@keysmoths5336]

Wow. I didn’t realize collecting was such a serious thing there… can you get permits to collect?? Rearing is always the best way to get the best specimens for sure.

[@michaeless882]

@@keysmoths5336 I'm not joking. Even if you dump/toss any specimens a collector can get prosecuted for trespass or "intent". Funnily enough we've only got twenty spp. (out of 450 spp.) with any legislative protection. As for permits, a Ph.D candidate might be granted a Wild-Take Permit but very hard to do. Also there are many spp. which are very abundant on a hill-top but rearing would not be possible if the larvae are subterranean Macrophages instars.

[@CoolCrittersYT]

Thanks for the shoutout! I really appreciate it! 3:33 is exactly what the Amethyst I saw looked like when she was flying... pretty sure that was one. Also, just for clarification I did not find this spot by myself, I got the information from someone I know on inaturalist who trusted me with (and gave me permission to tell you) the location. Great video though, we'll get a female ovipositing someday!

[@keysmoths5336]

Gotcha. Thanks for the clarification. Yeah we gotta get out in the field some day

[@keysmoths5336]

Lmk if you get any subs from this video…

[@TECNICASDEPESCAYMAS]

@@keysmoths5336 i just sub 😊

[@keysmoths5336]

Nice!!!!!!

[@BiahSmiles]

Where in broward I would love to see it

[@keysmoths5336]

I know! When I find one, I’ll let you know where!!!!

[@BiahSmiles]

@@keysmoths5336 Thanks

[@lukechapman5737]

Gonepteryx rhamni butterfly England.

[@keysmoths5336]

I would love to see one of them live some day. I have a specimen I could show

[@theadoragrigoris5292]

Would like videos on all three , currently growing zebra wing

[@keysmoths5336]

Great! zebras are fun! let me know how it goes.

[@martinmaldonado5293]

If you breed them long enough, it took me 3 generations and some special liquid to have a reddish “streak” appear on the forewing, they are absolutely incredible!

[@Hello123epy4u]

I've seen this

[@keysmoths5336]

Really??? Where?!!!

[@Hello123epy4u]

@@keysmoths5336 I saw it mud pudling in my back yard

[@keysmoths5336]

@@Hello123epy4u that is really cool!!!

[@Hello123epy4u]

@@keysmoths5336 a day later I saw it dead on the ground so I pinned it

[@TECNICASDEPESCAYMAS]

Please do a video maunting the male 🙏

[@keysmoths5336]

Oh yea. It’s coming

[@moonstar21868]

I had one of these in my kitchen I stomped on it as I was cooking, only after seeing this upload did I indeed realise it was rare

[@keysmoths5336]

Hmmmmmm

[@gazoontight]

Sea grape is edible but the seeds are so large that there isn’t much fruit pulp to enjoy.

[@keysmoths5336]

Gotcha. Thanks. I’ll try it one day!!!

[@keysmoths5336]

I’m assuming it’s the purple seas correct?

[@gazoontight]

@@keysmoths5336 The green fruits aren't ripe. The purple ones are. Not much flavor and not much pulp - mostly the large hard seed.