Mottled Duskywing - Alabama Butterfly Atlas

Butterfly: Wingspan: 1 - 1¼ inches (2.5 - 3.8 cm). This skipper is light brown above and fresh individuals have an iridescent lavender sheen, especially on the forewing. The open (dorsal) wing surfaces are strongly mottled with dark blotches. Glassy spots are present in outer one-half of forewing. The wing fringes are brown.

Egg: Pale green when first deposited, but quickly turn pink.

Caterpillar: Pale green; covered with short hairs and white speckles. Dark head has small patches of red, orange, or yellow.

Chrysalis: Varies from green to brown.

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Mottled Duskywings are known from only a few locations in Alabama. According to NatureServe (a network of biodiversity scientists), Mottled Duskywings are rare, declining, or eradicated throughout their eastern range. These skippers are dependent on habitats that support their only known host plant, New Jersey Tea, a small shrub in the Buckthorn family. While this plant is widespread in Alabama, the butterflies do not appear to be. Some lepidopterists believe that multiple patches of the host plant are required within an area that covers at least 250 acres.

Mottleds emerge a little later than other spring-flying duskywings. They are double-brooded, although the first brood may be larger than the second. Males are often seen perched, with wings widespread, on limbs and twigs growing close to the ground. They also sip moisture and minerals from damp soil.

The Mottled Duskywing is found from southern New England west to Ontario, Minnesota, Wyoming and Colorado; thence southward to Texas and eastward along the Gulf coastal states to Georgia. They are more common in the western part of their range.

A dot on the county map indicates that there is at least one documented record of the species within that county. In some cases, a species may be common throughout the county, in others it may be found in only a specific habitat. The High Count information shows the highest numbers recorded for this species as well as when and where they occurred.

The sightings bar graphs depict the timing of flight(s) within each of three geographic regions. Place your cursor on a bar within the graph to see the number of individuals recorded during that period.

The abundance calendar displays the total number of individuals recorded within each week of the month. Both the graphs and the calendar are on based data collection that began in 2000.

The records analyzed here are only a beginning. As more data is collected, these maps and graphs will paint a more accurate picture of distribution and abundance in Alabama. Submit your sightings to albutterflyatlas@gmail.com.

Sightings in the following counties: Bibb, Clay, Cleburne, DeKalb, Monroe

Sightings in the past 5 years
Sightings in the past 5 - 10 years
Sightings more than 10 years ago

High count(s):

5 - Cleburne - 4/21/2010
3 - Clay - 6/8/2021
2 - DeKalb - 8/8/2010

View county names by moving the mouse over a county or view a map with county names

Jan				Feb				Mar				Apr				May				Jun				Jul				Aug				Sep				Oct				Nov				Dec
1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4	1	2	3	4
												2	1	8		1	1			3	6	1				2			2

This skipper is found in wooded uplands, forest edges,and rocky outcrops.

Mottled Duskywing (*Erynnis martialis*)

County

© SaraBright

Common New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) is the only known host throughout Mottled Dusywing's range. It has also been documented in Alabama.

Common New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) - Host Plant

For more information about these plants, please visit the Alabama Plant Atlas using the links above.

Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis) Photos

Click on individual photos to view a larger version that includes photo credits, county, and date.
Photos with comments are indicated by a small, tan dot on the bottom right.