Funereal Duskywing - Alabama Butterfly Atlas

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Home base for Funereal Duskywings is the southwestern United States and Mexico, but they are nomads: for the past several years, they have routinely been spotted throughout the eastern United States—including Alabama. Since 2014, there have been yearly reports from Baldwin County. In 2018, there were sightings in 4 different counties, ranging from Baldwin all the way to Jackson! A recent study indicates that Funereal Duskywings probably establish small seasonal breeding colonies as they travel, so ovipositing behavior should be carefully checked for in Alabama.

Funereal Duskywing is the only species in our area with distinctly white hindwing fringes. Although Funereals are very similar to Zarucco Duskywings in appearance, (some sources consider them to be a single species), the white fringe that is present on both males and females sets them apart. Female Zaruccos have light hindwing fringe, but it is buffy rather than white. The Funereal forewing is also narrower than that of similar species. For this reason, in his monumental book The Butterflies of North America, James Scott calls it the “Streamlined Duskywing.”

Distribution and Abundance

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: Baldwin, Jefferson, Marshall, Mobile

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

High count(s):

4 - Baldwin - 7/23/2015
1 - Baldwin - 10/18/2014
1 - Baldwin - 10/3/2015

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
								1													1		1	1			6		1					1	2	1		1	1	1

Habitat

The Funereal Duskywing is found in a wide variey of habitats including woodland edges, brushy fields, dirt roads, and suburban flower gardens. In the western U.S., it even inhabits deserts. It is a very hardy and adaptable species. Because it is a vagrant in Alabama, it could be found almost anywhere.

Host and Nectar Plants

In Alabama, host plants have not been documented but, if breeding, we expect the Funereal Duskywing to use a legume. A recent report concludes that these skippers probably establish small seasonal breeding colonies as they travel, so ovipositing behavior should be carefully checked for in Alabama.

Elsewhere, the larvae eat leaves of many species of legumes including New Mexican Locust (Robinia neomexicana), Bur Clover (Medicago hispida), Deerweed (Lotus scoparius), Desert Ironwood (Olneya tesota). indigos (Indigofera spp.), vetches (Vicia spp), and Rattlebush (Sesbania drummondii). Funereal Duskywing is typically a southwestern U. S. species; some of these host plants may not occur in Alabama.

Funereal Duskywings are avid nectarers and use a variety of flowering plants.