The Mottled Duskywing is a medium-sized butterfly in the skipper family. It is light brown above, and fresh individuals often show an iridescent lavender sheen, especially on the forewings. The upper wing surfaces are heavily mottled with dark blotches, giving the butterfly its name. Glassy spots are visible on the outer half of the forewing, and the wing fringes are brown.

 

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Mottled Duskywing Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Pyrginae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 1/8 – 1 5/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Open woodland, barrens, prairie hills, open brushy fields, and chaparral

 

🪴 Host Plants

These are the plants where females lay eggs and caterpillars feed:

• New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Mottled Duskywings feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Bush Houstonia (Houstonia spp.)

• Gromwell (Lithospermum spp.)

• Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta)

• New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)