Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Western Cloudywing
Thorybes diversus Bell,1927


Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside is dull brown with small pale spots. Males lack a costal fold. Underside is dull brown with gray scaling at margins; hindwing with indistinct dark bands.
Wing Span: 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches (3.2 - 3.8 cm).
Life History: To await females, males perch in small forest openings. Eggs are laid singly on the host plant.
Flight: One brood from June-July.
Caterpillar Hosts: Cow clover (Trifolium wormskjoldii) in the pea family (Fabaceae).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Small openings in coniferous forests.
Range: Local and scarce. South Cascade mountains of Oregon and the Sierra Nevada of California.
Conservation: Seems to require open forest understory in yellow pine forests. Forest succession or replacement due to fire suppression may be a threat.
NCGR: G3 - Very rare or local throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences). (Threatened throughout its range).
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL