Dreamy Duskywing
Erynnis icelus (Scudder & Burgess, 1870)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Long labial palpi point forward; antennal clubs are pointed. Wings are black; forewing has no transparent spots but is dusted with gray scales and has bands of dark spots. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: To seek females, males perch in openings, flats or depressions near woods. Females lay eggs singly on host plant leaves. Caterpillars feed on leaves and rest in leaf nests. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate in leaf shelters.
Flight: One brood from April to early July; perhaps a rare second brood in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Caterpillar Hosts: Willows (Salix), poplars, aspens (Populus), and occasionally birch (Betula).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of blueberry, wild strawberry, blackberry, Labrador tea, dogbane, New Jersey tea, winter cress, purple vetch, and lupine.
Habitat: Woodland openings or edges.
Range: Boreal North America from the Northwest Territories east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia; south in the western mountains to southern Arizona and southern New Mexico; south in the east to Arkansas, northeastern Alabama, and northern Georgia.
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 1 - 24 of 2211 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 01, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 07, 2026
Observation date: Jun 02, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: Jun 03, 2026
Observation date: Jun 02, 2026
Submitted by: jmgesell
Region: Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2026
Observation date: May 31, 2026
Submitted by: drifter423
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 02, 2026
Observation date: May 29, 2026
Submitted by: DeepSkyKelly
Region: Colfax County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 30, 2026
Observation date: May 24, 2026
Submitted by: drifter423
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 29, 2026
Observation date: May 21, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 25, 2026
Observation date: May 18, 2026
Submitted by: jrmbutterfly
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Paul Prappas
Verified date: May 25, 2026
Observation date: May 18, 2026
Submitted by: Dogoszhi
Region: Sandoval County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 19, 2026
Observation date: May 16, 2026
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: May 17, 2026
Observation date: May 14, 2026
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 14, 2026
Observation date: May 07, 2026
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 14, 2026
Observation date: Mar 29, 2026
Submitted by: paigeo
Region: Wilson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 10, 2026
Observation date: Apr 10, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Athens County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 12, 2026
Observation date: Apr 04, 2026
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Washington County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Apr 12, 2026
Observation date: Jun 15, 2025
Submitted by: voriig
Region: Quebec, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Nov 24, 2025
Observation date: Aug 18, 2025
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Sep 16, 2025
Observation date: Jun 08, 2025
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Aug 31, 2025
Observation date: Jun 14, 2025
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 23, 2025
Observation date: Jun 12, 2025
Submitted by: drifter423
Region: New Brunswick, Canada
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jun 13, 2025
Observation date: Jun 07, 2025
Submitted by: NikkiM
Region: Carbon County, Montana, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jun 12, 2025
Observation date: Jun 03, 2025
Submitted by: John Terpstra
Region: Ontario, Canada
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2025
Observation date: May 30, 2025
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Grand County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jun 01, 2025
Observation date: May 29, 2025
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 31, 2025
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