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We depend on donations to keep Butterflies and Moths of North America online and free. If everyone who uses this resource makes a donation, we could cover our ongoing costs, develop new features, upgrade the system, and maybe even remove those pesky ads. Please make a one-time or recurring donation to show your support for this valuable source of information. Thank you!
Mexican Cloudywing
Thorybes mexicana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside is brown; forewing with large, dark-edged clear spots. Male has no costal fold. Underside is mottled brown and black with grayish outer margins; hindwing with brown striations.
Wing Span: 1 1/8 - 1 3/8 inches (2.9 - 3.5 cm).
Life History: To wait for females, males perch on or near the ground on hilltops. Females lay eggs singly under host plant leaves.
Flight: One flight from June-August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Clover (Trifolium), wild pea (Lathyrus), and vetch (Vicia).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Alpine and subalpine meadows, slopes, and clearings.
Range: High elevation mountains of the western United States south into Mexico.
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
Alternate Scientific Names:
Thorybes mexicanus
National Moth Week was July 23-31, 2022!
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 282 verified sightings

Observation date: Jun 14, 2022
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022

Observation date: Jun 07, 2022
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022

Observation date: Jun 07, 2022
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 10, 2022

Observation date: Jun 29, 2022
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 17, 2022

Observation date: Jun 14, 2022
Submitted by: Jon Kindschy
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 02, 2022

Observation date: May 31, 2022
Submitted by: glennfine
Region: Siskiyou County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022

Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: Cactuswren1976
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 22, 2022

Observation date: May 13, 2022
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 17, 2022

Observation date: Jun 24, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Iron County, Utah, United States
Verified by: RaisingButterfl...
Verified date: Dec 18, 2021

Observation date: Aug 03, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Mono County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 16, 2021

Observation date: Jul 30, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Alpine County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Nov 13, 2021

Observation date: Jun 08, 2021
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Routt County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 23, 2021

Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jul 09, 2021

Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: twofried
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021

Observation date: Jun 09, 2021
Submitted by: Harry Forbes
Region: Taos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 29, 2021

Observation date: Jun 07, 2021
Submitted by: topper72
Region: Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 15, 2021

Observation date: Jul 05, 2020
Submitted by: WYbutterflyer1
Region: Carbon County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Feb 24, 2021

Observation date: Jun 18, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Hinsdale County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 25, 2020

Observation date: Jun 19, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Archuleta County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 23, 2020

Observation date: Jun 14, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: Conejos County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Nov 23, 2020

Observation date: Jul 02, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Nov 15, 2020

Observation date: Jun 01, 2020
Submitted by: Tim Shortell
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 02, 2020

Observation date: Jun 12, 2020
Submitted by: Reneerob17
Region: Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Jun 25, 2020

Observation date: May 09, 2020
Submitted by: stevecary
Region: San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: May 10, 2020
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