Wild Indigo Duskywing
Erynnis baptisiae (Forbes, 1936)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Upperside of forewing is dark on the basal half and lighter on the outer half, with a distinct orange-brown patch at the end of the cell. Male has a costal fold containing yellow scent scales; female has a patch of scent scales on the 7th abdominal segment.
Wing Span: 1 3/8 - 1 5/8 inches (3/5 - 4.1 cm).
Life History: Males perch in open areas on low shrubs to wait for females. Eggs are deposited singly on the host plant. Fully-grown caterpillars from the second brood hibernate.
Flight: Two broods from late April to early June and from July to August.
Caterpillar Hosts: Usually wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria), but also others including wild blue indigo (B. australis), lupine (Lupinus perennis), false lupine (Thermopsis villosa), and crown vetch (Coronilla varia).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of blackberry, white sweet clover, dogbane, sunflower, crimson clover, and probably others.
Habitat: Open woods and barrens for native hosts. Highways, railroad beds, and upland fields for the introduced crown vetch.
Range: Southern New England and southern Ontario west to central Nebraska; south to Georgia, the Gulf Coast, and southcentral Texas. The Wild Indigo duskywing is rapidly expanding its range and abundance by colonizing plantings of crown vetch along roadways and railroad beds. Comments: The Columbine, Wild Indigo, and Persius dusky wings belong to the "Persius complex," a confusing group of very similar butterflies.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 2977 verified sightings
Observation date: Sep 16, 2018
Submitted by: blawrence
Region: District of Columbia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Dec 18, 2024
Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: chirpus
Region: Albany County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Dec 11, 2024
Observation date: Sep 16, 2019
Submitted by: jmacmetro
Region: Bergen County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 20, 2024
Observation date: Jul 30, 2021
Submitted by: michael marantz
Region: Union County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 01, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 20, 2024
Observation date: Sep 01, 2022
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 17, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 16, 2024
Observation date: Jul 01, 2024
Submitted by: jrtindall
Region: Mercer County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 16, 2024
Observation date: Jun 28, 2024
Submitted by: Victoire Batiste
Region: Somerset County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Nov 16, 2024
Observation date: Jul 19, 2011
Submitted by: NOHA-07
Region: New London County, Connecticut, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 12, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: mtobin11
Region: Lake County, Illinois, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Sep 22, 2024
Observation date: Sep 04, 2024
Submitted by: TJ in Derry
Region: Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Sep 04, 2024
Observation date: Sep 02, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 03, 2024
Observation date: Sep 01, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Sep 02, 2024
Observation date: Aug 24, 2024
Submitted by: maryjanzen
Region: Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Aug 26, 2024
Observation date: Aug 15, 2024
Submitted by: ButtahflyEtn37354
Region: Monroe County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 15, 2024
Observation date: Aug 09, 2024
Submitted by: scream of the b...
Region: Shelby County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Jun 20, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Lucas County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Aug 08, 2024
Observation date: Aug 03, 2024
Submitted by: Steven Wilson
Region: Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States
Verified by: curtis.lehman
Verified date: Aug 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 26, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 31, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: Elisabeth_Cassinari
Region: Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 29, 2024
Observation date: Jul 25, 2024
Submitted by: joanfiller
Region: Tompkins County, New York, United States
Verified by: jmgesell
Verified date: Jul 28, 2024
Observation date: Jul 12, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Summit County, Ohio, United States
Verified by: rogerdowner
Verified date: Jul 24, 2024
Observation date: Jul 21, 2024
Submitted by: pgrew1@unl.edu
Region: Penobscot County, Maine, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Jul 23, 2024
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