The Southern Cloudywing butterfly is a medium-sized brown skipper. The upperside has several whitish, hyaline (glassy) spots on the outer-half of the forewing. These spots are typically larger and more in alignment than those in the Northern Cloudywing. The wing fringe is a light buff to gray and checkered. The underside of the hindwing has two parallel dark brown bands crossing the central portion of the wing. The outer margin of the hindwing is weakly frosted.  The Southern Cloudywing can be differentiated from the Northern Cloudywing by the white around the eye and the white face.

 

“Southern Cloudywing” by Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, licensed under (CC BY 2.0)

 

Southern Cloudywing Facts

Butterfly Family: Skipper (Hesperiidae)

Butterfly Subfamily: Pyrginae

Butterfly Wingspan: 1 5/16 – 1 7/8 inches

Butterfly Habitat: Open, scrubby places including dry meadows, burned areas, dry prairie hills, and powerline right-of-ways

 

Southern Cloudywing Host and Nectar Plants

Host Plants:

• Various plants in the Fabaceae family
  • Wild Bean
  • Bush Clover
  • Fuzzy Bean
  • Milk Vetch
  • Thicket Bean
  • Butterfly Pea
  • Spurred Butterfly Pea
  • Groundnut
  • Hog Peanut
  • Hairy Small-Leaf
• Red Clover
• Beggar’s Tick

Nectar Plants:

• Nectar from various flowers
  • Dogbane
  • Common Milkweed
  • Thistles
  • Blazing Star
  • White Crownbeard
  • Crown Vetch