dreamy duskywing | skymeadows

dreamy duskywing (Erynnis icelus)

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

FAMILY: Skippers (Hesperiidae)
SUBFAMILY: Spread-wing Skippers (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.

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.

WING SPAN: 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 inches (2.9 - 3.8 cm).

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.

NATURESERVE GLOBAL STATUS: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally,
though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the
periphery.

MANAGEMENT NEEDS: None reported.

SKY MEADOWS OCCURRENCE:

Note: Due to seasonal conditions in this region, occurrence may vary from

year to year. The designation of occurrence may range over two or more

categories and may vary even during a single season.

Key to Checklist

A   Abundant: Easy to see very large numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
C   Common: Usually each to see good numbers of individuals in appropriate habitat
      at proper time of year.
U   Uncommon: Sometimes found in appropriate habitat and proper time of year,
      usually in low numbers.
O   Occasional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times a year, usually
      in low numbers.
R   Rare: Small chance of being found, even in appropriate habitat at proper time of
      year. There are few individuals and may not be present every year.
X   Extirpated: Formerly present, no longer occurs in Sky Meadows Park.