Banded Hairstreak, Bell

Today's agenda was a walk to the Bell Cedar preserve to help develop the right management strategy for the old field I love to hike through. My inclination, of course, is just to leave it alone, but it's filled with invasives and unless we do something, it'll soon be overrun on its trajectory from field to forest. Right now, however, it's still pretty open and the Common Milkweeds and native Dogbanes are holding their own... and serving as butterfly magnets. I'm guessing this dark little beauty nectaring on what I suspect is Spreading Dogbane is a Banded Hairstreak butterfly, although, in truth, I'm cautioned against any rush to judgement. There are two closely related and more or less lookalike species, the Edwards' and Hickory hairstreaks, that confuse even the experts. The Banded, however, is especially common, and since there were a lot of them working the flowers, I'll call it a Banded... and call it a successful trek.