Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae (Forbes, 1936)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside of forewing is dark on the basal half and lighter on the outer half, with a distinct orange-brown patch at the end of the cell. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3/5 - 4.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch in open areas on low shrubs to wait for females. Eggs are deposited singly on the host plant. Fully-grown caterpillars from the second brood hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from late April to early June and from July to August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Usually wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria), but also others including wild blue indigo (B. australis), lupine (Lupinus perennis), false lupine (Thermopsis villosa), and crown vetch (Coronilla varia).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of blackberry, white sweet clover, dogbane, sunflower, crimson clover, and probably others.
Habitat: Open woods and barrens for native hosts. Highways, railroad beds, and upland fields for the introduced crown vetch.
Range: Southern New England and southern Ontario west to central Nebraska; south to Georgia, the Gulf Coast, and southcentral Texas. The Wild Indigo duskywing is rapidly expanding its range and abundance by colonizing plantings of crown vetch along roadways and railroad beds. Comments: The Columbine, Wild Indigo, and Persius dusky wings belong to the "Persius complex," a confusing group of very similar butterflies.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 265 - 288 of 3021 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 11, 2020
Submitted by: S_Gucciardo
Region: Washington County, Nebraska, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jul 16, 2021
Observation date: Jul 14, 2021
Submitted by: jfkoza
Region: Essex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 15, 2021
Observation date: Jul 09, 2021
Submitted by: kristasessions
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 14, 2021
Observation date: Jul 12, 2021
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 13, 2021
Observation date: Jul 11, 2021
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: dineja321
Region: Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 12, 2021
Observation date: Jun 04, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Franklin County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jun 07, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
Observation date: Jun 06, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 06, 2021
Observation date: May 24, 2021
Submitted by: kzmmrmn
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 05, 2021
Observation date: May 31, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jun 02, 2021
Observation date: May 17, 2021
Submitted by: jigamaree
Region: Houston County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: May 29, 2021
Observation date: May 26, 2021
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 27, 2021
Observation date: May 16, 2021
Submitted by: rapids
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: May 17, 2021
Observation date: May 13, 2021
Submitted by: ydlrun
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 14, 2021
Observation date: May 11, 2021
Submitted by: kzmmrmn
Region: Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 12, 2021
Observation date: May 05, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Johnson County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: May 09, 2021
Observation date: Apr 17, 2021
Submitted by: otusasiotours
Region: Richmond County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: May 05, 2021
Observation date: Apr 28, 2021
Submitted by: TSims
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Apr 30, 2021
Observation date: Apr 16, 2021
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 16, 2021
Observation date: Apr 11, 2021
Submitted by: curtis.lehman
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Apr 16, 2021
Observation date: May 15, 2020
Submitted by: jigamaree
Region: Houston County, Minnesota, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 22, 2020
Submitted by: Judith Huf
Region: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Verified by: Tom Middagh
Verified date: Mar 27, 2021
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