The Northern Cloudywing butterfly ranges from Nova Scotia across Canada, south into California, and throughout much of the United States. The upperside of the wings is dark brown, marked by a median row of misaligned glassy white spots on the forewing, along with about three squarish white spots aligned near the tip. These spots are typically smaller than those of the Southern Cloudywing. The forewing fringe is checkered, while the upper hindwings are brown with a whitish fringe along the edge.

The key identifying feature of the Northern Cloudywing is its brown face with no white around the eyes.

 

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Northern Cloudywing Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Pyrginae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 1/4 – 1 7/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Open or scrubby boreal woodland, and forest edges

 

🪴 Host Plants

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

• Beggar’s-ticks (Desmodium spp.)

• Bush Clover (Lespedeza spp.)

• Groundnut (Apios americana)

• Hog Peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)

• Milk Vetch (Astragalus spp.)

• Spurred Butterfly Pea (Centrosema virginianum)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

Adult Northern Cloudywings feed on nectar from the following native flowers:

• Blazing Star (Liatris spp.)

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Dogbane (Apocynum spp.)

• Fleabane (Erigeron spp.)

• Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta)

• Ironweed (Vernonia spp.)

• Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium spp.)

• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• Thistles (Cirsium spp.)

• Whorled Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata)