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Juvenal's Duskywing - Erynnis juvenalis

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Hesperiidae
Genus: Erynnis

Description

Juvenal's duskywing is a large skipper with a wingspan of 1¼-2 inches. It has white or brown-fringed wings. The male has dark brown forewings mottled with bands of black spots, chevrons, and small white spots. Its hindwings are a lighter brown with light brown spots. The female has lighter brown wings. Her markings are similar to the male's markings, but they are larger. The underside of the hindwings of Juvenal's duskywing has two pale spots.

Range

map Juvenal's duskywing is found in the eastern U.S. and in parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. It is also found in southern Canada and Mexico. Juvenal's duskywing is found in New Hampshire.

Habitat

Juvenal's duskywing is found in oak woodlands, oak scrub, roadsides, and fields near oak.

Diet

The Juvenal's duskywing caterpillar eats the leaves of northern red oak, white oak, and black oak. The adult eats nectar from the flowers of blueberry, winter cress, lilac, Carolina vetch, wild plum, wisteria, and dandelion.

Life Cycle

The male Juvenal's duskywing perches on an oak branch 3-12 feet above the ground and waits for a female. The female lays one egg at a time on the leaves of oak trees. Juvenal's duskywing females produce one brood a year. The caterpillar overwinters. The caterpillar is light green and has a red, orange, or yellow head.