Observation date: July 11, 2019
Submitted by: Sherry Collins
Specimen type: Photograph
Observation notes: While participating in the Kerrville NABA count at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas, I and another observer found Duskywings scattered among the Golden Lantana in the well-maintained gardens of the campus. I always attempt to take pictures anytime we encounter some of the more difficult species so that we may study them more fully later. When I showed these photos to my husband (Compiler of count), he suggested one of the pictures did not look like Horace's Duskywing. After lengthy and detailed study of photos from Kaufman, Glassberg, NA Butterflies and BAMONA, we concluded that Meridian Duskywing was the best fit. My husband and a few other serious butterfliers have noted in previous NABA counts and incidental observations, that they believed their sighting were Meridian Duskywings. Studying the distribution maps in Kaufman and Glassberg, our location is at the overlap of these two species. Furthermore, when we go to BAMONA you can only find one record for Texas. I will point to the last verified species record of June 11, 2019 - photograph #1209029 - from Nevada. This species looks so very much like the one we are submitting. If this sighting is rejected, please tell us the reasons. I am trying to help establish a more definitive picture of this species distribution map.
Until just a few years ago, the Hutton’s Vireo was not known to be a breeder in the Texas Hill Country. The vireo was being mis-identified as a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, which does look very similar to the Hutton’s Vireo. Pictures and audio recordings of the bird singing at our ranch and at Love Creek Nature Conservancy have now shown the vireo to be a common breeder in the canyonlands of the Hill Country. New maps are showing this species to be a resident.
We are wondering if the same mis-identification might be happening with the Meridian Duskywing. Observers are calling butterflies Horace’s Duskywings without photo verification. It is assumed that Meridian are rarely found here. I hope that in the future people will submit all photos of duskywings found in the Hill Country for further study.
Status: Resident
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: August 06, 2019
Coordinator notes: I am basing my id partly on what appears to be a remnant of white fringe on the hindwings. Another good source for sightings is inaturalist but be cautious as many sightings of hard-to-id species have not been verified by more than 1 observer, often the submitter (need 2 for "research grade").
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&taxon_id=219497
