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.
Please donate!
We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America freely available. We want to express our gratitude to all who showed their support by making a contribution this year. You can donate to support this project at any time.
Advertise with us!
Do you have a product or service that you think would interest BAMONA users? If you would like to advertise on this website, contact us by email, or use the contact form and select the "Advertising" category.
Verified Sightings
Displaying 433 - 456 of 3022 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 07, 2019
Submitted by: Pondboy
Region: Marion County, Indiana, United States
Verified by: Howell_Curtis
Verified date: Jul 08, 2019
Observation date: Jun 30, 2019
Submitted by: Jeff Trahan
Region: Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 07, 2019
Observation date: Jul 05, 2019
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 06, 2019
Observation date: Jun 23, 2019
Submitted by: cblazo
Region: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 02, 2019
Observation date: Jun 19, 2019
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 18, 2019
Submitted by: k.d.stutzman
Region: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 19, 2019
Observation date: Jun 03, 2019
Submitted by: tnjbodker
Region: Roane County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 05, 2019
Observation date: Jun 01, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Jun 04, 2019
Observation date: May 16, 2019
Submitted by: tjunderwood
Region: Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jun 03, 2019
Observation date: May 26, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: May 26, 2019
Submitted by: Cameala
Region: Juniata County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: May 29, 2019
Observation date: May 16, 2019
Submitted by: WINGSaloftinKS
Region: Douglas County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: May 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 10, 2018
Submitted by: cjablonski
Region: McHenry County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: Doug Taron
Verified date: Feb 01, 2019
Observation date: Sep 22, 2018
Submitted by: Justme
Region: Butler County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Dec 15, 2018
Observation date: Jul 09, 2018
Submitted by: nrpeters
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Oct 18, 2018
Observation date: Sep 17, 2018
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 15, 2018
Observation date: Sep 17, 2018
Submitted by: greggra
Region: Kanawha County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Oct 15, 2018
Observation date: Sep 17, 2018
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Ingham County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Oct 14, 2018
Observation date: Sep 05, 2018
Submitted by: nrpeters
Region: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 05, 2018
Observation date: Sep 01, 2018
Submitted by: Timbreland16
Region: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 05, 2018
Observation date: Sep 02, 2018
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 03, 2018
Observation date: Sep 02, 2018
Submitted by: Michiganbirder19
Region: Genesee County, Michigan, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Sep 02, 2018
Observation date: Jul 15, 2018
Submitted by: Mendrola
Region: Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 27, 2018
Observation date: Aug 26, 2018
Submitted by: Elsa Blaine
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Aug 26, 2018
- ‹ previous
- 19 of 126
- next ›