Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

False Duskywing
Gesta invisus (Butler & H. Druce, 1872)


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside brown-black with darker bands; forewing with blue-gray submarginal band and a dark patch overlapping the cell.
Wing Span: 15/16 - 1 3/8 inches (2.4 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: Adults stay near the host plants, where females lay eggs. Caterpillars rest during the day in leaf nests and come out at night to feed on leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Four broods from April-November in South Texas; all year southward.
Caterpillar Hosts: Wild indigo (Indigofera suffruticosa and I. lindheimeriana) in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Tropical open areas including thornscrub, dry riverbeds, and abandoned fields.
Range: Argentina north through tropical America to the West Indies and South Texas. A stray to east Texas.
Conservation: Monitor populations in South Texas, and take action if necessary.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
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