The shimmering, purple Colorado hairstreak butterfly (Hypaurotis crysalus) begins life as a fuzzy green caterpillar which feeds on its host plant, the Gambel or “shrub” oak, in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and much of the Southwest. After metamorphosis, the butterfly emerges from its cocoon in late spring or summer, mates and lays eggs in autumn, and throughout all, may live in its entire lifespan within a few yards of where it hatched.

Males and females are similarly colored. On both the forewing and the hind wing, the dominant purple is surrounded by dusky grey-brown margins accented with several orange spots near the lower, outer extremes on each wing. A thin white fringe outlines the wings. Underneath, the Colorado hairstreak is mostly grey, with darker, lighter and orange markings. Also, on the underside of the wings, are spots that resemble eyes and the thin streaks that give the hairstreak its name.