Mournful Duskywing
Erynnis tristis (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment. Upperside of wings is dark brown-black with some transparent spots. Spots are larger in the female. Underside of hindwing is dark brown with a row of long white spots near the margin.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 15/16 inches (3.2 - 4.9 cm).
Life History: Males perch on hilltops all day to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on new growth of the host plant. Caterpillars feed on young leaves and rest in shelters of rolled or tied leaves. Caterpillars of the last brood hibernate.
Flight: Three broods in Texas from March-April, June-July, and September-November.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various oaks including coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), blue oak (Q. douglasii), and valley oak (Q. lobata).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Oak woodlands.
Range: Northern California south through central Arizona, southern New Mexico, the mountains of Mexico, and Central America to Colombia. Strays to South Texas.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 329 verified sightings
Observation date: Mar 25, 2020
Submitted by: alicecas
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 26, 2020
Observation date: Mar 22, 2020
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 23, 2020
Observation date: Mar 18, 2020
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 18, 2020
Observation date: Mar 17, 2020
Submitted by: Robert Gorman
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Mar 18, 2020
Observation date: Feb 27, 2020
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 28, 2020
Observation date: Feb 18, 2020
Submitted by: USCRx
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 19, 2020
Observation date: Feb 17, 2020
Submitted by: daperson
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Feb 19, 2020
Observation date: May 15, 2019
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Feb 02, 2020
Observation date: Nov 08, 2019
Submitted by: Raul Delgado
Region: Texas, United States, Webb County
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Nov 16, 2019
Observation date: Oct 05, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 08, 2019
Observation date: Sep 09, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 05, 2019
Observation date: Sep 10, 2019
Submitted by: Joey Bom
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Oct 03, 2019
Observation date: Sep 25, 2019
Submitted by: Novagirl65
Region: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 26, 2019
Observation date: Aug 08, 2019
Submitted by: smnelson
Region: Douglas County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 22, 2019
Observation date: Sep 11, 2019
Submitted by: GI JAG
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 15, 2019
Observation date: Sep 11, 2019
Submitted by: mstanek
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Sep 11, 2019
Observation date: Feb 13, 2019
Submitted by: Craig M Lipski
Region: Hidalgo County, Texas, United States
Verified by: stomlins701
Verified date: Sep 02, 2019
Observation date: Aug 13, 2019
Submitted by: EarlByron
Region: Yolo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 15, 2019
Observation date: Aug 04, 2019
Submitted by: JanetNadol
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 05, 2019
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: jmthornton
Region: Orange County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 02, 2019
Observation date: Jul 21, 2019
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Aug 01, 2019
Observation date: Jul 22, 2019
Submitted by: alicecas
Region: Contra Costa County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 22, 2019
Observation date: Jul 17, 2019
Submitted by: cevmendo
Region: Mendocino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 18, 2019
Observation date: Jul 08, 2019
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Tulare County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 11, 2019
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