Mottled Duskywing
Erynnis martialis (Scudder, [1870])
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside bands contribute to the mottled appearance of both wings. Freshly-emerged butterflies have a purplish iridescence. 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 5/8 inches (2.9 - 4.2 cm).
Life History: To wait for females, males perch and patrol on ridges and hills during the day, sitting on the ground or on tips of twigs. Females deposit eggs singly on the host plant. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from April-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Wild lilacs including New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) and redroot (Ceanothus herbaceus var. pubescens) in the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of bush houstonia, gromwell, hoary vervain, and other plants.
Habitat: Open woodland, barrens, prairie hills, open brushy fields, chaparral.
Range: Massachusetts and southern Ontario west across the Great Lake states to Minnesota; south to South Carolina, the Gulf Coast, and central Texas. Isolated populations in eastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado, and western South Dakota.
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
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 477 verified sightings
Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: chirpus
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 16, 2024
Observation date: May 01, 2024
Submitted by: tiki33wv
Region: Washington County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 04, 2024
Observation date: Apr 05, 2024
Submitted by: Ed Rothwell
Region: Riley County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Apr 07, 2024
Observation date: Jun 05, 2023
Submitted by: dlister
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jun 05, 2023
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Feb 15, 2023
Observation date: May 17, 2022
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Feb 15, 2023
Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: Christian.Nunes
Region: Boulder County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Feb 15, 2023
Observation date: Aug 10, 2007
Submitted by: rdhealy1951@aol.com
Region: Hart County, Kentucky, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 22, 2022
Observation date: Apr 13, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: Apr 21, 2017
Submitted by: Mark Salvato
Region: Madison County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Nov 27, 2021
Observation date: Jul 05, 2021
Submitted by: BarbSendelbach
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: BarbSendelbach
Verified date: Nov 16, 2021
Observation date: May 01, 2021
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Oct 07, 2021
Observation date: May 01, 2019
Submitted by: schaarschmidt
Region: Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 04, 2020
Observation date: Jul 11, 2020
Submitted by: rhedden
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: rosslayberry
Verified date: Jul 20, 2020
Observation date: Jul 03, 2020
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 04, 2020
Observation date: May 11, 2008
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: Fannin County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 09, 2019
Observation date: May 02, 2008
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: Murray County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 09, 2019
Observation date: Jun 21, 2014
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: Emanuel County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 09, 2019
Observation date: Aug 04, 2018
Submitted by: Pierre Howard
Region: DeKalb County, Georgia, United States
Verified by: Mikelchap
Verified date: Aug 09, 2019
Observation date: Jul 20, 2019
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 30, 2019
Observation date: Apr 27, 2019
Submitted by: CA Ivy
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: May 01, 2019
Observation date: Aug 07, 2018
Submitted by: Dennis Forsythe
Region: Oconee County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Aug 14, 2018
Observation date: Jun 10, 2017
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: Jun 18, 2018
Observation date: Apr 18, 2013
Submitted by: Tommie Rogers
Region: Polk County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: dbruce
Verified date: May 16, 2018
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