Southern Cloudywing
Thorybes bathyllus (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Family: Hesperiidae
Subfamily: Pyrginae
Identification: Hindwing is elongated. Upperside is dark brown; forewing has a wide band composed of aligned transparent spots. Male lacks a costal fold.
Wing Span: 1 5/16 - 1 7/8 inches (3.3 - 5 cm).
Life History: To seek females, males perch on vegetation 1.5 to 4.5 feet above ground, usually on hilltops or knolls. Some males appear to use the same perch throughout their lives (which lasts no more than 2 weeks). Females lay eggs singly on the underside of a host plant leaflet. Caterpillars feed on leaves and live in shelters of rolled or tied leaves. Fully-grown caterpillars hibernate.
Flight: One brood from mid-June to mid-July in the north; two broods (possibly three) from June-early October in most of its range.
Caterpillar Hosts: Various plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) including beggar's ticks (Desmodium), bush clover (Lespedeza), clover (Trifolium), milkvetch (Astragalus), fuzzybean (Strophostyles), and wild bean (Glycine).
Adult Food: Usually nectar from blue, purple, pink, or white flowers including dogbane, selfheal, crown vetch, Japanese honeysuckle, thistles, common milkweed, and others.
Habitat: Open, scrubby places including dry meadows, burned areas, dry prairie hills, powerline right-of-ways, and others.
Range: Most of the eastern United States from southern Maine west across the Great Lake States to Minnesota, Nebraska, southeastern Colorado, and northern New Mexico; south to central Florida, the Gulf Coast, and Texas.
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.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 2444 verified sightings
Observation date: May 03, 2024
Submitted by: dvollmar
Region: Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: Reedberg
Region: Pettis County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Aug 05, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2024
Submitted by: Alison Davies
Region: Allendale County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Jul 30, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2024
Submitted by: Ozark_Bill
Region: Franklin County, Missouri, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 25, 2024
Observation date: Jul 05, 2024
Submitted by: Eric Hartshaw
Region: Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States
Verified by: davidwright
Verified date: Jul 13, 2024
Observation date: Jul 02, 2024
Submitted by: wallap74
Region: Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jul 06, 2024
Observation date: Jul 27, 2019
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Jul 14, 2023
Submitted by: Susan McSwain
Region: Nelson County, Virginia, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 22, 2024
Observation date: Apr 22, 2023
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Apr 19, 2024
Observation date: Mar 27, 2020
Submitted by: ridgeboy
Region: Marion County, Florida, United States
Verified by: John Calhoun
Verified date: Oct 01, 2023
Observation date: Apr 30, 2023
Submitted by: Rick Sinnott
Region: Wilson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 19, 2023
Observation date: Aug 05, 2023
Submitted by: Tdloyd
Region: Davidson County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Aug 11, 2023
Observation date: Jul 18, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jul 20, 2023
Observation date: Jun 02, 2023
Submitted by: Sheryl Johnson
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Jul 16, 2023
Observation date: Jun 08, 2023
Submitted by: Cascade Colors
Region: Cumberland County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 09, 2023
Observation date: Jun 16, 2022
Submitted by: Ken Cheeks
Region: Aiken County, South Carolina, United States
Verified by: Dennis Forsythe
Verified date: Dec 17, 2022
Observation date: Jul 15, 2020
Submitted by: Lynettesvincent...
Region: Texas, Smith County, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Jul 09, 2019
Submitted by: gpstewart
Region: Jasper County, Texas, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: Oct 14, 2022
Observation date: Jun 03, 2020
Submitted by: webielenberg
Region: Blount County, Tennessee, United States
Verified by: James Steen
Verified date: Jun 01, 2022
Observation date: May 29, 2022
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 30, 2022
Observation date: May 18, 2022
Submitted by: jhdwelly
Region: Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: jwileyrains
Verified date: May 19, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Chase County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Apr 08, 2022
Observation date: Aug 01, 2021
Submitted by: Mapper
Region: Chase County, Kansas, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Apr 08, 2022
Observation date: Jul 23, 2005
Submitted by: Tom Dudones
Region: Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States
Verified by: Allen B
Verified date: Jan 30, 2022
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