Description: 11.5-15 mm.  Ventral side is gray with white stripe down both wings and a large orange patch near the tails with a black dot at the base. Dorsal color is dark gray with blue on forewing and hind wings. Males and females are similar but females dorsal blue color is lighter. 

 

Habitat and Distribution: This species is widespread and common along coastal beaches and salt marshes where host plant grows in most of South Florida and throughout the Keys but also lives in other habitats in association with other hosts.

 

Host Plant: mostly Bay Cedar (Suriana maritima) but also used (Trema micrantha) and buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus)

 

Natural History: Pretty much wherever bay cedar is found, you will likely find Strymon martialis. This is a handsome butterfly that can be found in all months of the year in the Keys on any Key. This species also uses buttonwood and I have found them several times in great abundance on the roadsides of the keys perching 10'-15' up in buttonwood trees planted along the sides of the road. We have also reared them on Florida Trema in Broward county. While this speciesappears to be local and scarce at times, I believe it is more widespread and common than believed.