The Sleepy Duskywing is a butterfly found throughout North America. It flies in a rapid, bouncing pattern close to the ground and often lands on bare soil or low vegetation with its wings held flat in a horizontal position.

Sleepy Duskywings are dark brown with a mix of black lines, grayish patches, and cream colored spots. Along with the Dreamy Duskywing, this species is set apart from most other duskywings by the absence of whitish, glassy spots near the tip of the forewing.

A distinctive bluish gray band runs along the submarginal area of the outer forewing, bordered on both sides by a row of black crescents. A marginal row of white spots is also visible on the forewing.

 

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Sleepy Duskywing Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Pyrginae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 1/4 – 1 3/4 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Oak or oak-pine scrub, chaparral, barrens; on well-drained sandy or shaly soils

 

🪴 Host Plants

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

• American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)

• Black Oak (Quercus velutina)

• Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

• Scrub Oak (Quercus ilicifolia)

 

🌸 Nectar Plants

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

• Blackberry (Rubus spp.)

• Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

• Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa)

• Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

• Hoary Puccoon (Lithospermum canescens)

• Wild Azalea (Rhododendron canescens)