Mottled Duskywing

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Mottled Duskywing

Scientific Name

(Erynnis martialis)

The Mottled Duskywing is a medium-sized butterfly in the Hesperiidae family (1). This species is reported from New England to Ontario, the Great Lake states to Colorado and southward to Texas (1, 2), but tend to be more common in the western parts of their range (2). This species was last recorded in Maryland in 1990 (personal comm. Jennifer Selfridge), and currently has a state rank of “X” (Not seen in many years) (3).

Photo by Aaron Brees

Identification

The Mottled Duskywing are called spread-winged skippers due to their tendency to rest with wings open and flat (1). This butterfly is mottled brown with darker brown spots on its upperside (1), and a wingspan of 1 to 1 ¼ inches (2). When adults first emerge they have a purple iridescence on their upperwing, especially their forewing (1, 2).

Photo by © Sara Bright

Larvae are pale green with white speckles and are covered in short hairs. Larval heads are black with red, orange, and yellow patches (2). The chrysalis has been known to vary from dark green to brown (3).

For more pictures of the adults and larvae, click here.

Photo by © Sara Bright

Life Cycle

The Mottled Duskywing has two broods from May to early August. Females lay their eggs singly on larval host plants, including New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) (3, 5). Larvae will form a shelter by sewing New Jersey Tea leaves together with silk and living inside. They feed at night while storing food for later consumption (1). When larvae are close to maturity they form their chrysalis from leaf litter (1, 3).

As an adult, they visit New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus) and dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) (3). Males have been observed on the ground, on the tips of twigs, and perched or patrolling ridges and hills while awaiting females (5).

Habitat

In Maryland, the Mottled Duskywing was historically recorded in grassy fields, and open woods (3). This species state rank will likely be changed to extirpated, due to the rarity of it's hots plant.

Larval Host Plants: New Jersey Tea

Photo by H. Zell

Frequently Visited by Adults:

Photo by H. Zell

New Jersey Tea

Photo by Emily S. Kloosterman

Dogbane

Distribution in Maryland

Historical data from Maryland Biodiversity Project and may overrepresent the current range of the species.

Distribution in US

Data from Butterflies and Moths of North America (5)

References

Steven Olson. USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region. 2002. Conservation Assessment for Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis). https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm91_054254.pdf.
Alabama Butterfly Atlas. Mottled Duskywing Erynnis martialis. https://alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu/species/details/59/mottled-duskywing. Last accessed 21 July 2020.
Davis, L. and R. Smith. 2014. Butterflies of Maryland: A Biological Checklist. Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife and Heritage Division. https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/butterfliesofmaryland_biological-summary_checklist.pdf
Maryland Biodiversity Project. 2020. Mottled Duskywing Erynnis martialis (Scudder, [1870]) https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewSpecies.php?species=592. Last accessed 21 July 2020.
Butterflies and Moths of North America. 2020. Mottled Duskywing Erynnis martialis (Scudder, [1870]). https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Erynnis-martialis. Last accessed 21 July 2020.

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